The Last Pendragon
by Norstra
Summary: A child with a strong survivalist mentality will step onto platform 9 3/4. He is not what anyone expects. This is the story of Harry Potter The-Boy-Who-Lived, Ghost Freak, Evan Jameson, Lord Hadrian Peverell, and Dragon Lord Whild Pendragon.
1. Prologue

_Disclaimer_ : I do not own Harry Potter in any way shape or form. Any and all information that is directly quoted or taken from the books or movies belongs to Warner Bros. and/or J. K. Rowling.

This Story will diverge from the story and plot line of the Harry Potter series in an extreme way! If you don't like that don't read it. This story will not be slash. I'm rating it T to be safe because I honestly have no idea what it will be appropriate for.

* * *

Prologue

Harry stood in the middle of a graveyard. It was an old graveyard in an old town. Full of aging gray tombstones spread over a green carpet, the graveyard looked like many such establishments of the dead scattered throughout the small towns of England. But it wasn't. This was not the same as others because here rests the ancestors of one Hadrian James Evans Potter Peverell Gryffindor, last heir of the Pendragon line.

 _In Loving Memory of James Potter & Lily Potter_

Yes, they both died on October 31, 1981; just as he was told by Hagrid a month ago.

" _The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death."_

What kind of tripe is that to be written on his parents graves? Who ordered that? Who had kept him from seeing it until now? Harry almost snarled as he turned away from the large marble stone marker. Death was, in a way, defeated (he supposed) when he survived, but the chosen quote didn't sit well with him. Not at all.

In the town he'd found a statue of him and his parents and their old house still blown to pieces set up as a memorial. In the book store, Flourish and Blotts, were several books making ambitious "factual" statements about his own life. Though he supposed they had finally been truthful about one thing, where his home was. Godric's Hollow. It all made him sick to his stomach. How was he to handle this new world? These people were ridiculous in so many ways. It scared him a little. Usually when he was forced in a new environment (rare though that may be) he would try to fade into the background as much as possible to see the rules of engagement, so to speak, before even contemplating when and how he would join the flow. This would apparently not be easy in this throw back world.

He took a deep breath and turned back around. "Hello. Sorry it took so long to find you again. I didn't know where you were…not even your names! I did try to find out about you I swear! All that got me was more bruises and more lies." A tear slowly dripped down the side of his face. "I know where you are now, though. Do you think, if I died, they'd put me with you? I suppose they would…after all that would fit with the whole 'memorial' and 'celebrity' status I've been given. My death would make the front page news unlike my living circumstances. You have no idea what all I've found out in this last month. It's insane! I'm freaking out and haven't been able to eat for days at a time…well more days at a time than usual. I'm only telling you this because I think you must have actually cared. You MUST have. After all, you died for me. Then at least you, at the _very_ _least_ you mother, must have loved me, right? I'm ok on my own. I always have been! But, sometimes, even in my mind's home, sometimes I'm just so lonely. Please! Wherever you are, don't forget me. Please love me still." By this time Harry was huddled up next to the stone with tears pouring unchecked down his face. "I hope death isn't defeated…I hope it's a lie. I will be with you someday, so don't forget me."

He carefully placed the small bouquet of anemones at the base of the gravestone and stood up. After quickly scrubbing his tears away on his sleeves he turns towards the gate. It's time to head to London and Kings Cross Station in the morning.


	2. Ch 1: Letters, Goblins, & Gold, Oh My!

I am American, so if I get pants and trousers etc. mixed up I do sincerely apologize in advance. Also, this chapter will have some details some might consider tedious, but I enjoy reading stories with these kinds of details so it's only natural they'd be in mine as well. Once again, if you hate that don't read it. :)

"Conversations"

'Internal Monologues'

[Action]

* * *

Chapter 1: Letters, Goblins, & Gold, Oh My!

From the shadows of a pillar between platforms 9 and 10 at Kings Cross Station, Harry watched as people pushed their way through the crowd to their perspective destinations. Unfortunately, his destination was eluding him. Just one more thing that giant omitted telling him. Where was the stupid platform he was supposed to be on!? Well, at least he was early. He could always just watch for owl-carrying children to pass by and follow them. Yep. That would be the war plan! Watch and wait. After all, he'd perfected that strategy years ago.

While standing there leaning on the pillar nearest him, Harry started thinking back to the long crazy journey that had brought him to this crowded, intimidating place of hustle and bustle.

 _****Flashback to July 31****_

Harry had been kicking himself mentally since the day that blasted letter, which was promptly followed by now hundreds more, had arrived. How was he to know that he should be looking out for a letter addressed to himself? As far as he was aware, no one even really knew he existed, let alone would write to him! If he had KNOWN he would have been looking for it, seen it when it arrived, and then slipped it under his cupboard door on his way back to the kitchen. But that wasn't what happened.

'Woe to me! No. WOE TO THE WRITER! Whoever thought it would be a great idea to send the Dursley's into a massive storm of paranoia owed him a heartfelt apology!' Harry nodded curtly to himself as he finished drawing the last of his birthday cake candles. Then, well then…someone smashed through the door of the decrepit excuse for a house the Dursley's were currently hiding in. From there his world went from weird to utterly insane. 'Oh and by the way it had just been a GIANT at the door…. Yep… Insane.'

Anyways, Harry had been taken away from the death trap house on a rock in the ocean to a death trap pub on an alley in London (in the form of touchy feely looming witches and wizards). From there the next day he was rushed to the wizard equivalent of a theme park and bank hybrid, then onwards from store to store to store. After this alarmingly shocking day, he was dumped on a train headed back to Pivot Drive to wait a month for classes at Hogwarts to start. Such an odd name for a school, but then again, the alley had been a reenactment of the Victorian age so perhaps it was to be expected. In between stores Harry had been able to glean some interesting pieces of information from Hagrid (the resident giant tour guide). These little bits of life-changing data included but were not limited to the following: His parents had been killed during the First Wizarding War and not in a car accident; Hogwarts was a school for wizards, which was what he was apparently ('Who knew? Well my relatives I suppose.'); and that he definitely needed to check these stores out on his own so he could take his time.

 _****Morning After****_

The next morning was almost like a normal morning, except he was in Dudley's second bedroom and not his cupboard. His aunt hadn't wanted to risk the "freaks" finding out where he slept and so had shoved him in here upon his return. It was still the same impatient knock on the door though and the same shrill voice demanding he make breakfast. Then a different, definitely not normal, sound made itself known.

"Boy! What is that racket!?"

"It's the owl Hagrid gave me, Uncle Vernon. I think she's hungry, but I have no idea what to feed her."

"Get rid of it! We won't be having anymore freakish things around here! If it's not gone by this evening you'll be cooking us roasted owl for dinner. Imagine the nerve of those freaks adding another mouth to feed. ('Really his relatives were so unoriginal and unimaginative with their name calling abilities.') Our poor Dudders will end up starving if we let this continue. I will not have it!"

'Well that's that. So much for my first birthday gift.' Harry quietly wrote a quick note explaining to Hagrid that his uncle wouldn't allow him to keep a noisy pet, and sent the white owl off to find her new-former owner. It was no use fighting to keep her. Odds are she'd be dead before classes started if his uncle's facial coloring was anything to go by. It simply wasn't logical. Then again an owl wasn't really a logical first choice for a pet anyways. That's why he hadn't let himself get too attached to her. If he was going to risk having a pet, then he wanted one that could constantly stay close to him but was also able to survive on its own. A cat would be a much better choice. If it was small it could stay near or on his person at all times but could also hunt and climb out his window if danger (in the form of his relatives) was near.

It was then that a plan finalized itself in Harry's head. It had been in the works since he'd first seen his very own mountain of gold in his very own vault. Time to prepare himself for this new world he was entering! Step 1: Escape the Dursley's. Step 2: Go see his bank account manager. Step 3: Go get a quiet pet/companion that the Dursley's won't ever notice. Step 4: Explore Diagon Alley properly. A simple plan, yet oh so daunting.

'Well here goes nothing.'

"Uncle Vernon, Hagrid told me that Dudley's pig's tail will last longer with a wizard around him." The tail had been Hagrid's retaliation on his cousin for eating Harry's birthday cake.

"GET OUT! I don't want to see you ever again! You hear me Freak!? Stay far away from us! And don't you dare breathe a word about us to your other freaks, or I'll drown you like I should have when we first found you dumped on our doorstep ten years ago! You think those freaks care about you? If they did, wouldn't they have taken better care of you than to toss you away first chance they got?" Uncle Vernon was an interesting shade of purple by the end of his diatribe.

"Yes sir. I'll leave now, sir" was the demure reply. Harry was used to such nasty comments from his relatives by this point in his life. He had sent all feelings that reared their head at such statements to the deepest part of his mind's ocean and left them there. 'Still, he does bring up an interesting thought. Why was I left here if I'm hailed as such a hero...Hmmmmm. I'll have to think more on that later.'

"You bet your life you'll leave."

With that Harry was unceremoniously yanked by his collar and flung out the front door. However, getting from Surrey to London was where the true challenge lay. Also, he needed to do something about his scar. He slipped out back behind the garden shed to wait for the Dursley's to leave for whatever summer activity they had planned for the day. A few hours later he was running down the street with enough of Dudley's allowance to pay for his train ride and the swiped baseball cap he'd grabbed on the way out pulled down low over his eyes. Step 1 is complete. Success!

 _****Several Hours Later at Gringotts Wizarding Bank****_

"I would like to see my account manager please" said in the usual quiet demure voice.

"Key, please" said with a voice that indicated the "please" wasn't really meant at all.

Harry was led down the hallway to a back office where another grouchy looking goblin stared over his glasses at him impatiently. 'Maybe they aren't getting enough greens?'

"I am Axebreaker, the Potter account manager for the last 3 generations. Now, what is it I can help you with today, Mr. Potter, which you couldn't have come to me with yesterday?"

"I am here because I wanted to get all information you might have for me about my vault. I would like to know what the limit is that I can take out per year along with how much is in there in the first place. Also, do you have a copy of my parents will? I'm sorry to bother you, but I'm new to the world of magic and am trying to get my bearings."

"Is that so? Hard to believe the Savior of the Wizarding world would be so ill instructed. Alas you have come to the right place Mr. Potter, but if we're going to answer your questions then you will make it worth my time and go through the proper procedures. Understood young wizard?"

"Yes sir."

"Right. Then first you will do a blood test to prove you are who you say you are as keys can be passed around when one isn't looking. This test will also show your inheritance and give us an assessment of your magic. Place 7 drops of blood on this piece of parchment. No more, no less! Then I will cast the appropriate goblin-only magic on the parchment, after which we will have to wait 7 minutes in order for the results to be revealed. Understood?"

"Yes sir."

Seven drops of blood can reveal so many enlightening things, truly. The goblin had sat stunned for an entire minute after reading the results before he ushered Harry out of his office and back to the roller coaster he had been on the day before.

"I will gather the needed files and paperwork before going over the findings of this test in detail with you. In the meantime I want you to retrieve the Inheritance Bag in the back of your vault which you, for some unfathomable reason, left behind yesterday. Merlin knows Dumbledore has tried to get his hands on it and your gold often enough! As if I would let him at anything in one of the vaults I oversee. Ridiculous! That would besmirch my honor as a goblin. Now off with you and meet me back in my office in 15 minutes on the dot. Understood?"

'He sure does seem to like that word an awful lot. I never even saw a bag in the vault. It's not like I left it on purpose! If it's mine I want it with me, or at least to know what it is. I've hardly had anything to call my own in my entire life. There is no WAY I would have left it. It's because Hagrid kept rushing me even then. On a side note...he sure doesn't seem to have the same almighty opinion of Dumbledore that I've heard so far. Yet another thing to think on later.' Harry noted his internal voice was starting to sound a bit grouchy which was interesting in itself. He had thought he'd put that feeling in his mind's ocean as well. 'Hmmmmm. Something to check on later. Things are starting to pile up now. Good grief...what kind of grief is good? Oh bother. Focus Harry! We've got work to do!'

"Yes sir."

Fifteen minutes later he was back in the office looking through the test results with interest.

* * *

 _Full Name: Hadrian James Evans Potter Peverell Gryffindor nee Pendragon_

 _Paternal Parent: James Potter_

 _Maternal Parent: Lily Potter nee Evans_

 _Inheritance:_

 _Gryffindor nee Pendragon (paternal)_

 _Family magic: Dragon magics (last seen in Arthur Pendragon)_

 _Title: Dragon Lord (in-acted if dragon magics is found in a descendant), gives magical kingship over Magical Britain_

 _Heirloom(s): Excalibur/Sword of Gryffindor, Dragon Egg, and Pendragon Family Grimoire_

 _Property: Camelot/Hogwarts_

 _Vault: 1_

 _Peverell (paternal)_

 _Family magic: Natural affinity to death and soul magic._

 _Heirloom(s): Cloak of Invisibility and Peverell Family Grimoire_

 _Property: None_

 _Vault: 7_

 _Potter (paternal)_

 _Family magic: Fairy pixie born with the baby in his or her fist. This pixie will generally hide in the magical core of their child to strengthen him or her during times of duress._

 _Heirloom(s): Potter Ear-cuffs and Potter Family Grimoire_

 _Property: National Monument Potter Cottage in Godric's Hollow (may be reclaimed)_

 _Vault: 103_

 _Evans (maternal)_

 _Family magic: Clean muggleborn/squib-line magic purposed in reawakening old family magic if united with one of them_

 _Heirloom(s): Trace Removal Crystal, Mind-Clearing Crystal, and Evans Family Grimoire_

 _Property: None_

 _Vault: 713 (currently Harry Potter's Trust Vault)_

 _Magic Assessment:_

 _Magical Core - 40% Blocked by Dumbledore_

 _Stressed. Take immediate action to avoid temporary magical exhaustion and future long term stunted magical core growth and control._

 _Parasitic fragment. Currently contained in foreign magical barrier pressing on outer core. Take immediate action to avoid future possession and stunted magical core growth._

 _Death and Soul Magic - 100% Blocked by Dumbledore_

 _Pixie - Fully Merged with Core._

* * *

"Well Mr. Potter, it seems we have much to discuss. In the interest of good relations and full disclosure, I think you should be aware that Headmaster Albus Dumbledore has been actively trying to get his hands on your Inheritance Bag, which you will find contains all your Heirlooms, along with the gold in your trust fund which is the only vault he is aware of you having in your possession. He has been doing this by claiming he is your Magical Guardian. This, of course, is a lie as your legal Magical Guardian is Sirius Black, Lord of the Black family and believed betrayer of the Potter family. He incidentally is now residing in Azkaban. The reason he is still considered your legal magical guardian is because he was put in Azkaban without a trial and, therefore, without a conviction of his crime. Gringotts will always follow the law, and therefore, only a legal magical guardian will be able to access any of your information, items, or goods which are protected here. I would still suggest you get emancipated as soon as you possibly can. Any questions so far?"

"What is Azkaban?" 'Ha! I have about 1,000 questions! But I don't have the time for 1,000 answers today! Does this mean the King Arthur and the Round Table legends are real? I'm just not going to deal with that whole thing at the moment. Plenty of time later for that Earth shattering revelation. Yep. Later.'

"It is the wizarding prison where criminals are held. Now, as to your Inheritance Bag, I would strongly recommend keeping its contents to yourself and in a safe, secure place. As some of them may come in useful on a semi-regular basis I would not recommend your vault."

"I see. Thank you for this information."

"Don't worry. You are being charged for the blood test and my time." Axebreaker gave a sinister grin.

"I see. Well in that case I have a question about the Crystals from the Evans inheritance."

"Ah yes. You will learn that there are some wizards out there that can perform invasive mind magics. It would seem that your mother has created the Mind-Clearing Crystal in order to counter this. As for the Trace Removal Crystal, I believe you family was in hiding when they were killed. It would make sense she would try to create a crystal to remove tracking spells among other things."

"Mind magics!? As in they can control your thoughts and will?" Now Harry was really considering whether this new world was worth it. The evil that he knew versus the evil that he didn't know…how annoying. Not that it seemed he had much choice in the matter. After all, the Dursley's negative response hadn't had any impact on whether or not he would attend Hogwarts, once Hagrid had arrived. "Is there anything else they can do to control you? How will I know if I'm being controlled? Will I be able to do anything to stop it?"

Axebreaker gave Harry a greedy looking smirk. "Yes, Mr. Potter, there are ways to be alerted to these kinds of threats. Allow me to show you some Goblin-made wares that are just for such a dilemma." Step 2 is complete. Success! 'Blah. Now I have to add a few more steps though, like some way to secure to store my Inheritance Bag. Maybe a stronger trunk? Dudley will probably bust the second-hand trunk Hagrid had me get in no time.' [sigh]

 _****Back to the Present between Platforms 9 &10****_

Harry fingered the Mind Ring that now adorned his thumb. On his right index finger a similar Potion Ring resided, and around his neck hung the last piece of Goblin-made jewelry he had purchased that day, a Charm Necklace. The necklace carried his shrunken charm-trunk and a keychain holding his vault key, trunk key, and the key to the Dursley's back door. (He had swiped it back when he was 7 and had been locked out of the house for 3 days straight.) The necklace itself was invisible to all but himself and could only be removed by himself. It was charmed unbreakable and dragontongue (now that turned out to be a handy inheritance once he figured out he could speak it) password protected. The goblins were truly ingenious! The Potion Ring would heat up when a potion is in the food you are holding, and the stone turns from clear to violet for a love potion, black for a loyalty potion, or orange for a truth potion. The Mind Ring also heats up when mind magic is cast on you and the stone will turn from clear to green for a compulsion charm, yellow for a confundus charm, and red for an obliviate. He would never regret the decision to purchase these expensive safeguards.

'Ah! Finally! Looks like this group is heading to Hogwarts as well.' Harry watched a pack of red headed people bustle by him. One of the older boys had an owl cage balanced on his trolley and the mother was loudly going on about muggles and such. He quickly followed after them and watched them run through a brick pillar. 'No wonder I had no idea what to do! Then again, considering the entrance to Diagon Alley, I should have guessed something like this.' With an annoyed sigh Harry walked over to the wall a leaned against it slightly to make sure he could pass through. In the end, his lean almost turned into a full-out fall he just barely caught himself from.

In front of him was the Hogwarts Express huffing and puffing in all its steam-engine glory. Harry gave a tiny smile then, with a spring in his step, he was off to find a seat. 'I'm off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of warts. Because, because, because, because! Because of the manipulative things he does!' [dry chuckle]


	3. Ch 2: To flee, or not to flee

Hey readers, thank you so much for your encouraging comments! :)

I understand the issues with prologue labeling, but I really don't like combining the Prologue with Chapter 1, so I'll leave it the way it is. Thanks for the thought though.

Also, I know James died for Lily and Harry. I just personally don't like James very much, so I argue that Harry could brush it off as his father dying for Lily and not necessarily Harry, where as Lily died for no one but Harry. (Some what childish I know, please forgive me!)

"Conversations"

'Internal Monologues'

~Dragontongue~

[Action]

* * *

Chapter 2: To flee or not to flee…that is the question.

As Harry was looking for an empty compartment to hide away in, he was knocked into two of the red-headed horde he'd followed through the barrier. They appeared to be identical...all except their expressions. He remembered them shouting something about exploding a toilet and sending the lid to the one who appeared to be their little sister. The mother had had a shrill response to that promise. On closer examination, there did seem to be a slight discrepancy between the mirror images. One looked at him like he was considering Harry's unknown, but possibly useful, talents; while the other looked at him like he was thinking of Harry's unknown, but possibly inspiring, weaknesses. It was the eyes that gave it all away. However, both were undoubtedly and equally terrifying!

'Double double, Toil and Trouble; hair burns and laughter bubbles.' Harry would definitely be giving Toil and Trouble plenty of space and hopefully wouldn't draw their attention again.

"Why hello there"

"Little fellow student."

'Are you seriously calling someone little right to their face!' Harry mentally cut into the twins' back and forth dialogue.

"You don't look"

"Familiar, therefore,"

"You must be a first year."

"I am Forge, and this is"

"His esteemed brother, Gred!"

"Did you need our assistance" Toil and Trouble...now named Forge and Gred spoke the last in synch.

'I think I'm sticking with Toil and Trouble….It just suits them so much better' Harry decided.

"No. I was just looking for a place to sit. Sorry for bumping you. Excuse me." Harry tried to make a quick escape.

"Not a worry"

"None indeed!"

"However, you haven't yet"

"Introduced yourself, now have you?"

Harry winced. He really didn't want to deal with the pub "cornered prey" experience all over again. He needed to be short but polite with these two. As forgettable as possible. Right.

"I'm Harry. Nice to meet you." A quick half smile and duck into a conveniently empty compartment next to them… 'Whew. That could have been a disaster. I've been here, what, five minutes so far? Not a good sign Harry!' Sometimes his internal voice liked stating the most obvious things.

As the train gave a jerk and then a shrill whistle, Harry took a seat by the window and opened the pet bed pocket on his bag. After carefully reaching in and retrieving a sleeping EmberLight, he slowly ran his fingers over her soft ebony hide. Even in this form, she had the scattering of tiny splashes of gold and crimson making her coat resemble dying embers in a fireplace, bringing warmth and comfort to what would otherwise be a cold dark room. EmberLight was currently sporting the form of a small kitten which could easily fit in the pocket of his zip up hoodie. No one would ever suspect she was a dragon hatched from the egg in his Inheritance Bag.

The Potter Ear-cuffs had turned out to be Metamorph Ear-cuffs. All you had to do was tap the cuff while saying a password and imagining what you wish to look like, and wham, you were just as you imagined! After researching a bit more in the Potter Family Grimoire, he'd found they worked on animals too. So when EmberLight had hatched and his initial panic had settled, they had both pierced high on their left ears and permanently added the cuffs to their attire. He would never enter Diagon Alley as Harry Potter ever again! As dragons were most certainly NOT on the list of pets allowed in Hogwarts, he had asked her to change into a small kitten during the school year. To his shock, she had agreed...in ENGLISH. Well, it turned out to be dragontongue. Diving into the Pendragon Family Grimoire had explained this was part of the dragon magics Harry had apparently inherited according to the goblin blood test. It certainly came in handy, what with having a dragon newly born and a ton of passwords to set on everything.

'Hm, but I do need to find out where my Invisibility Cloak and Excalibur disappeared to.' According to Axebreaker, they might have still been in use before his parent's deaths and, therefore, didn't make it into the bag. However, they belonged to Harry and should have been brought to the goblins to store in the vault till Harry had come to claim them again. It kinda irked him to know he owned something but had no idea where it was. It was like an annoying itch or, better yet, kind of an unsettled wind blowing his mind's ocean into a frenzy.

Thankfully, the goblins had been able to remove the blocks on his magic. It'd felt like taking off a belt that was cinched too tight to breath. With the admonishment not to allow Dumbledore to do such things again in the future (because he had clearly given permission for the current ones...) he had been pushed out the door to fend for himself. As it turned out, the added step of 'Purchase Secure Trunk' to his master plan had been a stroke of genius, if Harry didn't say so himself. Now there was a wizard he truly and honestly thought was AMAZING. The things that man could do with wood were inspiring.

 _****Flashback to the Trunk Shop after the Visit to Gringotts****_

A bell dinged softly when Harry pushed the door to the shop open.

"I'll be right up. Have a look around!" A voice called from the back of the building. The room was bigger on the inside than the outside; this seemed common among magical shops. However, that was where the norm ended. This shop was wonderful! It was organized with rows of different chests neatly in line with an assortment of bags hanging tidily on the walls. It felt spacious and smelled of wood and leather, kind of earthy. Harry carefully ran his hand over the wood part of the nearest trunk as he gazed around. Love at first sight. No doubt about it.

"Now, how can I help you, lad?"

"I need a secure trunk. I'm going to school soon and I live with my muggle cousin who has sticky fingers, if you know what I mean."

"Ah! I've had that sort of request before. You have come to the right place young man! I offer everything from security trunks all the way to complete travelodge trunks."

"Excuse me, did you say a travelodge trunk?"

"Why indeed I did lad. We're wizards now aren't we? Of course there's such a thing as traveling in style and comfort here!"

This statement made Harry give a rare chuckle. "That's true. So do you do custom trunks? How much would it run?"

"Why that would depend on your needs, lad. I am a magi-carpenter, so I think I'll be able to take proper care of you! Name's Ethan Bond. Now follow me to where the magic happens!" With a wink and a gesture they had proceeded to the back of the store where Harry witnessed the designing of his custom specialty trunk and linked bag combo. It was a moment he would cherish for the rest of his life. It was this purchase which allowed him to create his own bit of freedom in the otherwise stifling or hostile worlds he lived in.

Two hours later Harry was exiting the shop with his Inheritance Bag still over his shoulder and a receipt in hand. The eagerly awaited trunk and bag would be ready in three days.

* * *

 _Bag'em & Box'em_

 _Receipt for Specialty Trunk and Linked Bag Combo_

 _Trunk: black with brushed nickel hardware and dragon shaped padlock, 7 compartments, linked to Bag, shrinkable to charm size.  
* Compartment 1: School supplies linked to school case in trunk (4) and to bag  
* Compartment 2: Wardrobe linked to wardrobe in trunk (4) and is twice the shown size provided by sliding compartments  
* Compartment 3: Treasures (extra dragontongue password protected) linked to trunk (4)  
* Compartment 4: Home (extra warding including silencing) spiral staircase, desk, school supply unit, bookshelves, fireplace, daybed, wardrobe, side-table/treasure chest, sink/kitchen area, toilet and bathing room, links to trunk (1-3)  
* Compartment 5: Potion Lab (extra warding including silencing)  
* Compartment 6: Dueling Chamber (extra warding including silencing)  
* Compartment 7: Front Door Portal (step in and open door to your house, be sure to close the lid behind you and summon your trunk once back in your house) not in use till owner has house to connect it to._

 _Bag: medium brown with brushed nickel dragon shaped clasps and zipper tabs, 3 main compartments, linked to Trunk, shrinkable to charm size.  
* Flap Pocket  
* Pet bed pocket expanded to the size of a den but will change to size needed by pet(s) occupying it.  
* Inner Pockets  
* Main compartment 1: linked to the bookshelf in the trunk (1)  
* Main compartment 2: linked to bottom/potion supply shelf in trunk (1)  
* Main compartment 3: linked to trunk (3) with same extra dragontongue password protection  
* Notes pocket: linked to notes shelf in trunk (1)  
* Outer Pockets  
* Preservation food pocket (bag back)  
* Misc pocket (bag front/emergency potions, nail clips, etc)  
* Writing supplies pocket: linked to drawer in trunk (1)  
_

 _Additional Features  
* Shrink/expand on dragontongue password and finger touch/magic signature  
* Unbreakable, preservation, feather light  
* Magic signature summonable in dragontongue  
_

 _Additional Security  
* Fire, water, summon, banish, theft (shocks strangers who touch it) charm protected_

 _* Muggle notice-me-not charm_

 _* Dragontongue password protected_

 _*_ _Key for trunk_

 _Total: 731 Galleons_

 _Thank you for your business! Please remember our life-time guarantee of our work should anything happen to your purchases._

 _Salesman, Owner, and Magi-carpenter Ethan Bond_

* * *

 _****Back to the Present****_

The door to Harry's compartment slammed open.

"Can I sit here? The rest of the train is full."

"Sure." 'No.'

"I'm Ron. What's your name?"

'Yet another appears from the "Red Horde."' Harry gave an internal snicker.

"Harry."

"Are you Harry Potter?"

"...Yes…"

"That's brilliant! Would you mind showing me, you know, the scar?" Ron said with a gesture to Harry's forehead.

"No." 'Honestly, who goes around asking to gawk at other's scars?'

"Oh, why not? You're famous you know? Do remember anything from that night?"

'Is this guy serious? "Hi, do you remember your parents being murdered in front of you? Nice to meet you!" Unbelievable!'

"That's private."

"What's wit…" Saved by the door, which was once again slammed open.

"I heard Harry Potter would be on the train. Have you seen him?" A blonde boy stood in the doorway with his nose up in the most uncomfortable looking manner.

"He's right here. What do you want?"

It would seem Red doesn't like Blonde, slightly interesting factoid. 'Honestly though, what is this? Potter, oh Potter! Wherefore art thou Boy-Who-Lived?'

"I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy." Ron gave snicker. "Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask your name. Second hand clothes, red hair, more children than they can afford. You must be a Weasley. My father's told me all about your type. Potter, you will soon see that some families are better than others. I can help you with that." Draco extended his hand towards Harry.

"Don't take his hand Harry! He's nothing but a slimy Slytherin! They're all evil dark wizards in that house!"

"Really, is that so." Harry spoke softly and reached out to take Draco's hand. "Thanks for the offer, Draco, but I don't tend to put much store by 'family reputation,' fortunately for you. It was nice to meet you. Please excuse me." The Red and the Blonde were left speechlessly watching the retreating back of Black with Ember kitten perched staring at them from his shoulder.

~When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or rain? When the hurlyburly's done, when this train ride's lost and gone… Hopefully.~ [sigh]

~What's a Hurlyburly?~ EmberLight brought her attention back to Harry.

~Your guess is as good as mine.~

He slipped into another compartment that seemed to only have one other occupant. "Would you mind if I sit in here? My compartment got invaded with some feuding hair color proteges." 'What the bloody hell am I saying that sort of thing out loud for!? I never say anything like that out loud!"

The chubby boy took a moment to process his words while Harry considered heading right back out the door. "You must mean a Red and Blonde? Maybe a Weasley and Malfoy? At least I think there is a Malfoy starting this year… Um nevermind. S-sure you can sit here if y-you want to. I'm Neville L-longbottom" He'd started out so strong but lost steam halfway through. He looks so nervous.

"I want to. And yes, I was talking exactly about Red and Blonde!" 'I honestly can't believe he figured that out so quick.' Harry gave Neville an unsure smile. 'I know, I know! Don't trust anyone. But, there is something about him…' "Toad!"

"Trevor!"

That was how Toad Trevor was denied his first out of many escape plans. Harry listened in amusement as EmberLight Kitten gave Trevor Toad a hissed dressing down for having the presumption of bothering her Little Lord. It was another benefit to choosing a cat disguise… No one would notice a kitten occasionally hissing or growling at Harry! And no one would be able to tell the difference between a dragon's hisses and growls (which were considerably higher pitched coming from this small body) and a kitten's...unless they spoke felinetongue he supposed… That would have to be a bridge they crossed if or when they found it.

~I'm not all that little! Especially compared to the size of a kitten that fits in the palm of my hand! And really, how has the toad bothered me? All I was doing was stopping it from running away through the door **I** had open.~ Harry had given up on changing 'Little Lord' to anything else. Apparently, even though Dragon Lord was a human wizard title, it was the actual name all dragons he would come in contact with would know him by no matter how much he complained. It was simply out of all of their hands, as EmberLight had informed him.

~This is not my real size even though you are the same as always! Besides, I'm going to be the size of your daybed when I'm full grown and be the perfect mount and guardian, so it's a moot point. On the other hand, that overgrown toad had the audacity to run at your feet! He could have infected with you with warts!~

~Through my trainers?~ Harry rolled his eyes in exasperation.

~He could have gotten slime all over your new foot and leg scales!~

~You are slightly ridiculous you know.~

~I am just taking care of you, Little Lord. It's obvious someone needs to, and it is my duty and utmost pleasure to fill that role. After all, I love you, Little Lord.~

~Ember, You are the fire in my cold dark life…~ Harry gave her a soothing scratch where her wings were hidden. He still couldn't bring himself to say he loved her too. To love anyone or anything was to sign the death warrant on the said loving relationship. A torn up baby blanket, a betraying "friend," a disappointed teacher in his apparent lying compulsion, all gave testimony to the fact that Harry wasn't to be blessed with any sort of caring or loving relationship of any kind. Yes, the Dursley's had been the cause of these ruthlessly crushed, fragile hopes, but they must hate him for some reason. They simply couldn't retain the energy to keep hating for so long if it wasn't fueled by something. It wouldn't make sense. He himself could barely retain the energy to be angry for a few days unless it was a major happening.

The two boys sat quietly in their compartment relaxing in the afternoon sun and drifted off into their perspective thoughts. For some reason, it never occurred to Harry to hide his dragontongue abilities from Neville. For some reason, it never occurred to Neville to be surprised or to report Harry's dragontongue abilities to anyone.

 _****Flashback Dursley's after the Trunk Shop****_

While waiting to pick up his trunk, Harry had spent the days sequestered in Dudley's second bedroom or out shopping in muggle clothing stores. Axebreaker had offered him a Gringotts Gold Bag that was magically tied to his vault along with exchanging some galleons into pounds, all for a fee, of course. He was relatively free to leave the house, for once in his life, due to his family still being terrified by the pig's tail event. He'd even managed to buy himself a complete muggle wardrobe replacement. All of the shopping bags were stashed hidden under the bed at the moment. He would leave the current trunk he had in his cupboard in case he needed it someday.

It was AMAZING how good clothes could feel! Really, Harry had never (as far as he could remember) experienced properly fitting clothes of any sort. The Dursley's had refused to dress a freak above his station, so Dudley's giant hand-me-downs had been his choice of attire these past ten years. However, he was now the proud owner of a completed checklist of everything he could possibly think of needing for his present and future attire.

* * *

 _*1 dark red winter beanie (forehead cover)_

 _*1 brown beret (forehead cover)_

 _*1 long sleeve white dress shirt_

 _*2 sweaters (rust/light grey)_

 _*10 short sleeve t-shirts (white/grey/dark red/dark green/black)_

 _*10 long sleeve t-shirts (white/grey/dark red/dark green/black)_

 _*2 print shirts (one with a dragon and one with a lily both wrapping around the torso)_

 _*1 zip up green hoodie_

 _*1 grey winter coat_

 _*1 pair of black dress trousers_

 _*1 pair of dark tan khakis trousers_

 _*1 pair of dark blue jeans_

 _*1 pair of medium blue jeans_

 _*1 pair of chore/work jeans (cheapest found)_

 _*1 pair of khaki shorts_

 _*1 pair of red swim trunks_

 _*1 pair of red & black plaid flannel pajama bottoms_

 _*10 black pants_

 _*10 pairs of white socks_

 _*5 pairs of black dress socks_

 _*1 pair of black dress shoes_

 _*1 pair of brown leather converse trainers_

 _*1 pair brown flip flops_

* * *

Harry carefully cradled the dragon egg from the Inheritance Bag in his arms. He'd taken it out when he got back to Surrey after Gringotts. Something about the egg was irresistible. He simply **needed** to keep it as close as possible, so it stayed in his arms while he curled up on the old broken down bed in Dudley's second bedroom every night.

 _****The Next Morning****_

The day finally arrived, Harry headed back to London to pick up his new trunk and bag. The magi-carpenter even suggested getting a wand arm-holster (invisible, unsummonable, unbreakable) at Ollivander's while he was out and about. On the way home, Harry picked up the last of the wizarding part of his wardrobe (outside of the school supply list of dragonhide herbology gloves, basic button-up shirt and tie Hogwarts uniform, and three plain black school robes). All he had ordered were some dragonhide black winter gloves, a black hooded heavy winter cape, a black formal dress robe (growth charmed), a medium brown light hooded casual open robe (trench coat styled), and one pair of dragon hide black winter boots. There were warming charms placed on all the winter outdoor clothing.

While trying to complete Step 3: Go get a quiet pet/companion that the Dursley's won't ever notice, Harry wandered into the Magical Menagerie. There, he found a strange egg that the owner complained wouldn't hatch despite it still having a living inhabitant. Harry decided to buy the egg because it felt like it was something he had lost and finally found. He then headed straight back to Surrey with plans of living in his new trunk as much as possible until classes started. Back in Dudley's second bedroom, he found the dragon egg from his Inheritance Bag was cracking open.

 _****Back to Present Waiting to be Sorted****_

The children had been herded from train to boat to a never-ending staircase, and now down the great hall under a beautiful, twinkling night sky. (Which was not the REAL sky mind you. Some girl had read it somewhere, and it was important not to confuse REAL with UNREAL.) An odd old hat sang a song, then what appeared to be the sorting process began.

'Oh brilliant. "Alright kids line up. Time for your life-time box and label event. If you weren't already nervous, we have provided a (free of charge) sense of general panic by having said event witnessed by a mass amount of complete, yet attentive, strangers. Should you somehow mysteriously fail (at what exactly is up to your imagination to fill in), said strangers will be sure to respond appropriately as the immature adolescents they are." Right. Well these are the trials of mankind I suppose.'

There was a long list of names, then "Longbottom, Neville." Harry gave the boy next to him a slight nod of encouragement and he was off. After a few moments of tense (on Neville's part) waiting, "Gryffindor!" was yelled out. Well, that was what the boy had wanted. He'd mentioned it while they were snacking on some jumping chocolate during the train ride. 'Good for him.'

More cheers. More names. Finally, "Potter, Harry." After checking to make sure EmberLight was safely hidden in his robe pocket (the rest of his life's possessions hung as a reassuring weight on the chain around his neck), Harry headed for the three legged stool. 'Oh! Add on a balancing act to the prior tirade!'

'Ok. Let's go for Ravenclaw. It's my only chance at being left alone. Ravenclaw, Ravenclaw, Ravenclaw' Harry kept chanting it as the hat settled on his head and something dropped uninvited right into his mind's forest just outside his cottage.

'Oh my. Now this is unexpected.'

'What the bloody hell is going on!?' HP

'Oh it's just me, the hat.' And the hat was promptly torn off his head.

"Mr. Potter, is there a problem?" Professor McGonagall (previous child-herder extraordinaire) asked.

"Yes ma'am, the hat was trying to invade my head!"

"That's how it sorts you. Now put it back on and let it do its job, Mr. Potter!"

Harry was seething when the rim was once more lowered over his eyes. 'STAY OUT! YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE!'

'Now, now no need to get angry child, I am bound to not tell any secrets I may find and I need to sort somehow right? Besides, you have the most beautiful mind I've seen in a very very long time.'

'No! This is my mind. My world. My refuge. You will not enter here. Put me in Ravenclaw and be done with it!' HP

'Child what has got you so worked up? Never have I had such a reaction as yours... Ah! Forgive me! I did not realize to whom I was speaking. As you will, my king. And may I say, welcome home, Sire. We have been anxiously awaiting the return of the King these past thousand years.'

'Wait!' All of Harry's wrath and determination to expel the intruding hat turned quickly into all out panic. 'This is a secret I don't want known! I have no intention of being anyone's king. Swear you won't tell anyone. Swear it!'

'As you will my king. As I said before, I am already bound to not reveal the secrets of those I sort. But may I inquire as to why you will not take up your rightful throne and duty?'

'I have **not** been impressed with this new world. Outside of a simply amazing magi-carpenter, I have found no one worth the effort it would take to rule these people. I was practically assaulted by a mob in a pub. The newspaper and literature have left much to be desired for anyone trying to figure this backwards community out. I know that I've only skimmed the surface, but so far I have only felt foreboding in my gut. For all I know, these people could turn on me as easily as all the normals, I mean muggles, have. I tend to not open myself up to those kinds of threats anymore.'

'I see. This is your decision to make, but your title still stands with Hogwarts herself and me as well no matter if you claim the throne or not. If you need anything, my King, anything at all, be sure to ask me. Now, may I say, sire, even if the glimpse was stolen, it was a theft well worth it for me to see a mindscape such as your own. However I have to ask, why Ravenclaw? I would suggest Slytherin. You will be great you know, and Slytherin will help you on your way.'

'Slytherin would draw too much negative attention. I don't know what their reputation was when Hogwarts began, but now they are all considered evil. They also, apparently, consist of a lot of the murderer of my family's followers which is fairly dangerous considering the tools at the disposal of the children in this school. Also, I honestly didn't even see it as an option… I mean tell me, where is this ambition you're seeing? I'm generally considered pretty apathetic. Gryffindor is also not a good choice as I already have too much attention as The-Boy-Who-Lived. I thought about putting together a "hero" set of mind clothes as I've already seen some of the expectation for it. I'll probably have to create something of a set as it is, but I will tone it down from people's hyped up fantasies. Hufflepuffs are too pack-oriented. You see I've done my research. Ravenclaw is the place where I'll get the most peace and quiet while I figure out this new world.'

'You already show yourself to be wise, my young King. You may be apathetic towards other humans, but you have a curiosity towards other things. Slytherin is not just ambition, though you do have the strong ambition to be left alone. It is also about cunning which you also have shown to achieve your ambition! You are brave, but you will not rush headlong to your demise. Yes, I understand your choice. It is an appropriate place for you as well, as I can see you have spent long periods of time reading and pursuing knowledge in the muggle libraries. Indeed, your vocabulary is alarmingly advanced for one your age. Farewell for now my King. Do seek me out again someday. Let it be' "Ravenclaw!"

Harry made his way to the Ravenclaw table to the sound shocked politely unenthusiastic applause.

'To flee or not to flee, that is the question:

Whether 'tis Nobler in the mind to suffer

The Slings and Arrows of an outrageous fate,

Or to be Gryffindor against a Sea of troubles,

And by opposing end them: to die, to sleep

No more; and by a sleep, to say we are free.'

Harry stared up at the enchanted ceiling in quiet contemplation. A beautiful forest of giant trees surrounded him. In Front of him stood his mind's two-story stone cottage with crowning tower. It was perched surrounded, in place of a castle's moat, by the ocean of emotions. This was his imaginary world (his mindscape the hat had called it?) he had created over the many years of mental, emotional, and, sometimes, physical abuse he had suffered at the hands of his relatives. This was his refuge. A set of clothes flew from the cottage to land in his hand. [sigh] The-Boy-Who-Lived...what rot! Harry quietly donned the Ravenclaw tie, dark red button-up long sleeve shirt, and black school robes which would depict his confidence, leadership, and self-sacrificing personality traits respectively. Why, oh why, was he doing this? He remembered one of the framed pictures that hung in the bedroom of the cottage. It showed a certain, peaceful graveyard. A place he would rest in the real world, someday.

'Not yet.'


	4. Ch 3: The Phantom of the Dungeon

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, any Shakespeare Plays used in Chapter 2, or the Wizard of Oz. All direct or partial quotes from these belong to the authors respectively.

"Conversation"

'Internal Monologue'

~Dragontongue~

[Action]

* * *

Chapter 3: The Phantom of the Dungeon

When a cat turned into a teacher, and said teacher threatened to turn a tardy student into a pocket watch, Harry was sure the first few weeks of class would prove to be Harry in Wonderland.

'I suppose it's appropriate. I do feel like I've gone down a rabbit hole into a different world. It's just my luck. I never liked that story. It always seemed so unsettling what with everything spiraling out of control.' [forlorn sigh]

~You really need to hurry up and bond with me, Little Lord. How am I ever to know what is causing your mood or what you are thinking if I'm not able to connect with your mind?' EmberLight nudged at his ear from her shoulder purch, as if she could physically climb into his head.

~It's not like I'm trying to avoid the bond you know. I just honestly am not sure how to connect with you on that level yet…. The thought of it scares me.~

~I know Little Lord. I'll wait for you though.~ That earned the Ember kitten a kiss on the top of its head.

~Well, I was just thinking of the transfiguration classes if you must know. I wonder, how hard do you think it is to turn someone into a working watch?~

~Someone not dragonkin?~

~Of course! Dragonkin are far too mighty and regal to be a pocket watch!~ Harry smirked as EmberLight nodded her head in agreement a bit too early. ~They'd at least be a grandfather clock!~

~We're not to be degraded to clocks at all!~ Harry couldn't hold back his snicker any longer. ~Oh, you take such delight in vexing me!~

During Ember kitten's stream of little kitten growls, Neville appeared from a side hall and joined him on the way towards the Great Hall for a late lunch.

"Hi Harry. Hello EmberLight… [kitten/dragon eyes glare] Have I interrupted something? I-I mean, a-are you headed for lunch?" Neville gave Harry an unsure look.

'He crumbled halfway again. I wonder why? He was fine by the end of the train ride…' Harry carefully observed Neville's face and body language.

"Have they been bullying you in Gryffindor?"

"What!?"

"You look unsure of yourself again. All hunched over, like when we first met. It's fine if you're by my side...we've already established that on the train, so what has got you all worked up and insecure again?"

Neville eyed Harry for a moment before replying. "I see. Yes, we did establish that I suppose. Though it was never said, so I guess I was worried that I was imagining it. Gryffindor is fine. So far it's just loud and they don't seem to be interested in being friends with me yet. But it's still just the beginning of the year. We'll just have to wait and see."

"Why on earth would I come out and say something like that. You'll be the one to leave anyways. No doubt about it. Anyways, Ember was just mad that I teased her a bit. How are your classes going?"

"I'm not going anywhere. Classes are ok. I'm having a bit of trouble with the practical portions. You?"

"Relatively easy for relatively pointless spells. I mean, in reality, I'd probably be in need of a match more than a needle, and I doubt I'll have a needle handy when I'm matchless." [two heads nod] And that was the end of the conversation part of their walk to lunch… just comfortable silence until the parting of ways to their separate tables.

 _****Later that Week in Potions****_

The potions teacher made his own grand entrance, though in a way completely different than Professor McGonagall's cat to teacher shirade. The door banged a in a loud obnoxious manner. No doubt this was to scare unsuspecting victims, or students. 'It also would draw a distinct line between teacher and students as I'm sure he's the type who'd give detentions to anyone else who slammed a door like that' Harry noted. Then it came to him in a flash of inspiration.

'Bloody hell! I've been in the wrong story!' That, however, was as far as that train of thought would be able to get for the moment.

"Mr….Potter, our new celebrity." Professor Snape was sneering down at Harry from the front of the room.

'Oh dear. Not a fan club member from the looks of it.' When Harry went to make respectful eye contact and affirm his notable presence in the classroom, he felt something scrape across his mind's forest as a grater would scrape across cheese.

What was with teachers trying to take walks through the students' minds!? Both Quirrell and now Snape had sent these bouts of invasiveness towards him within the first five minutes of class! Thankfully, the mist in his forest had been thickened since the hat experience, so he had been completely hidden. On the other hand, he had no idea how effective that would be long term. 'Nasty wizards... And their I go switching storylines again! It's scary how much they managed to unbalance my status quo. I hate this!'

After enduring Snape's attempts to humiliate him for his lack of knowledge, the class attempted to follow a recipe on a blackboard at the front of the dimly lit room. The Ravenclaws were together with Gryffindor for this class, so Neville and Harry had sat together near the back of the classroom in hopes of being overlooked as much as possible. Neville was practically shaking in fear of Snape and his awe inspiring swishing robes. It was no wonder, the man kept popping up right behind him (and coincidentally Harry as well) at the most inopportune times. Harry was having his own problems of not being able to see the board clearly from these seats. So, with that in mind, when Neville finally blew up… well blew up his cauldron and exploded in boils all over (Harry was actually thanking his own Dudley-trained dodging instincts), he promptly informed Neville they'd be sitting in the front from that day onwards. That decision hadn't saved them from negative points, zeros for the day's practical, or Neville from the hospital wing.

EmberLight popped out of his pocket and onto his shoulder during the trip to the school nurse and had carefully looked Neville over.

~Little Lord, you best keep your distance. I think the Warlord has caught something dreadful! He smells and looks like he has an infection of rot.~

"She's worried about you." Harry answered Neville's questioning look. "Just focus on getting to the wing. Just a couple minutes longer and you'll be right as rain again."

"I got this, Harry. Just make sure I don't run into anything. I think I'm going blind. It's bloody painful!" Neville tried so hard to keep himself together. It was truly amazing how strong this boy could be when he stopped shaking in fear.

"You know, Neville, you are an odd person. You shake in fear from the threat of something happening, but you are strong as a rock when something actually does happen. Doesn't that lead to you not needing to shake in the first place? Clearly you can handle whatever a school will throw at an eleven year old."

Neville stopped and stared at Harry through his one good eye (the other had a boil forcing the lid to stay shut...ew). "You, Harry, are extraordinary. You're bloody brilliant. I'm going to stay by your side forever."

This declaration caused Harry to stare right back in equal shock. Then a look of terror flashed quickly across his face before it settled into an unreadable mask. "You won't. You lie. Here's the hospital wing. Get inside and stay there." This was stated in a cold monotone and was followed by an amazing disappearing act.

In a side hall a corridor down, Ember kitten and Harry were tucked into a bay window behind a heavy curtain.

~What did he say that has shaken my Little Lord so?~ EmberLight cuddled comfortingly under his chin, but Harry tried to pull her away. ~Don't push me away right now. I'm just sitting here. It's ok...I won't hurt you Little Lord. Remember this summer? Remember how we stayed together and hid from those normals or muggles or whatever you want to call them? Remember how I didn't leave you even when you feared they'd hurt me? Or the school wouldn't accept me? We will find a way Little Lord. You and I. Now what did the Warlord say.~

~Why are you calling him Warlord.~

~Don't change the subject, Little Lord. It is his name the same as yours is your own.~ Ember bumped his chin lightly with her chin in admonishment.

~He said he'd stay by my side forever. He's a liar. And Cruel! I never thought he'd be capable of that.~ Harry trembled slightly and curled up just a bit tighter.

~Oh Little Lord… Breathe little one. Just close your eyes for a few moments and breathe. I'm here nothing will harm you. Let the Warlord's matter be forgotten for now. Think of our home in the trunk. Think of all the things we did together last month. The movies and books we enjoyed. The worlds we dreamed up. Just breathe little one.~

And that's exactly what Harry did. Three minutes later his eye's snapped back open and his body relaxed.

~EmberLight! I almost forgot to tell you! During potions class I figured it out. This isn't Harry in Wonderland. It's the Phantom of the Dungeon! Snape is the perfect Phantom, swooping in and around rooms. Which is excellent! I really wanted to escape that rabbit hole story. So who is Christine? If he wasn't Snape's favorite, I would cast Draco as Carlotta...unfortunately it just wouldn't work. Draco just can't be Christine… Well maybe. "Hmmm… Hermione as Carlotta then? That might actually work...~

~No more talk of darkness, forget these wide eyed fears. I'm here, nothing can harm you, my breath will bake their raid!~ [evil laugh]

~Ember, darling, I adore you.~ Harry climbed to his feet, once more in total control of himself and the momentary fear dropped back into the depths of his mind's ocean.

'The phantom of the dungeons is there, inside your mind.' [dramatic sweep from curtained area]

 _****A Few Weeks Later****_

Harry had quickly taken to dragging Ember Kitten and, eventually, Neville to the library during any free time they had. He had informed them that, for all the belittling comments that were directed towards normals (he just couldn't think of them as 'muggles'), their school systems were far superior to the magical world's. Hogwarts was supposedly the best magical school in Europe. If this was true then it was no wonder that the magical world looked like a reenactment of the victorian age as he had originally thought. Besides charms and transfiguration, the classes were a complete waste of time… at least the actual professors of the classes were a waste.

As Harry put it to Neville on their second trip to the hospital wing, "Perhaps they should take a memory potion of some sort? Quirrell has forgotten how to speak. Snape has forgotten how to, oh, I don't know...teach? Binns forgot to actually die, or forgot that there was more to history than goblin rebellions. The flying instructor forgot to come to class with her own broom and has, apparently, also forgotten any and all safety procedures and spells for new flyers...things such as safe brooms, cushioning spells, levitation spells maybe… I don't know, but I'm sure there was some way to stop you from falling three stories from a possessed broom. We're called BEGINNERS for a reason. All she did was whip out her wand and point it at you for a while, like somehow that would have magically stopped you. Did you hear her yelling at you to 'Stop!' and 'Get back down here!' because clearly you were in control." Harry stopped to catch his breath while Neville let out a little chuckle.

"You do have a point. It sort of blows my mind how terrible everything sounds when you put it like that."

"I know right!?"

'It's actually quite enjoyable to be able to say some of my rants out loud to someone else, be it dragon or human. Who knew anyone would appreciate them?' Harry and Neville fell into silent contemplation as the hospital wing came into view.

Harry had finally allowed Neville to appear by his side three days after the last hospital wing incident. No comment had been made about the previous conversation. They had simply fell into step on the way to lunch again as if nothing had happened. However, Neville had been cautious not to scare Harry off again. He would simply stay at Harry's side without drawing attention to the fact that he was there. Eventually, Harry would come to expect him there and trust him to be there long term. For now though, just quietly keeping him company would be enough. Harry was his first friend and the first person to actually look at him and see him as more than he himself even knew. Harry was special. He'd somehow recognized that from the first moment he'd stepped into the train compartment.

"Alright, I'm dropping you off here. Make sure you get plenty of rest and I'll see you tomorrow. Don't even think about leaving here before I pick you up in the morning. Understood?"

Neville nodded obediently and stepped through the door. He gave a little chuckle to himself while waiting for the nurse to notice him. 'Does he even realize how he sounds?'

"Ah! Mr. Longbottom, what have you done to yourself now?"

'And Harry would say, 'Yes, he clearly decided to break his arm so he could write home about the experience.'' [chuckle]

"I fell during flying class, ma'am."

In the meantime, Harry headed off to the library and a particularly reclusive corner. About half an hour into his search for relevant history, his quiet was rudely interrupted.

"You were **supposed** to be in Gryffindor, you know. I know all about you. I've read all the books you're in. Both your parents were in Gryffindor and it's also the Headmaster's house. It's clearly where you should have gone." Harry glanced up at a turned up nose and frizzy hair.

"Is that so."

"It is. Nearest I can figure is that you somehow talked the hat into putting you in Ravenclaw instead. That's why you had it on for so long. Why would you do that? Gryffindor is the greatest house of all!"

"Hm. I'm Harry. What was your name?"

"I'm Hermione Granger. I'm what they call a muggleborn. My parents were so proud of me. I'm the first witch in the family after all…."

"Mhm." Harry softly cut her off, "So Miss Granger, you think you know me better than I know myself?"

"Wha- um. No. I mean, I'm sure you have a reason for being sorted wrong. But you really should have let the hat do it's job properly. The professors have trusted the hat to sort students for the past 1,000 years, so clearly a student wouldn't know better than it."

'Is this girl serious? Why am I still talking to her? This is clearly Neville's fault!'

"I see. Well it's a good thing the hat was in agreement on where to put me then isn't it? Now if you'll excuse me I need to get back to studying...in a Ravenclaw way."

"There is no way…"

"Miss Granger. Why were you wrongly sorted? I know all about you from talking to you for two minutes, and you are clearly not a Gryffindor, but a Ravenclaw. Now it is my right to know why you decided to talk the hat into putting you into the wrong house, and I demand to know what it was. After all, the hat should be left to do it's job right? Unlike you, the hat and I agreed on where to place me. Please leave me alone." Harry was getting very irritated now. While the girl spluttered in surprise, he scooped EmberLight up off the book she'd been dozing on and swept off back to his tower.

'The nerve!' Echoed through two minds as the short conversation met its quick end.

 _****The Next Morning at Breakfast****_

'Masquerade! Snooty faces on display…

Masquerade! Hide your face so the world will never know you.

Masquerade! Every face a part to play…

Masquerade! Look around- There's another snake behind you!'

Harry watched in amusement as Draco and company sauntered over to a stop behind Neville's seat. Said seat was conveniently situated so it was directly across the aisle from Harry, so Draco was now standing between them.

"Lose something yesterday, did you Longbottom? I'm told you rode your broom like it was a wild hippogryph instead of like a proper wizard. Did you, perhaps, forget how? Or is this another way you blood traitors decided to break from our traditions?" Draco's nose was so high he had to be giving Neville an unpleasant view. He casually tossed Neville's dropped and forgotten Remembrall back and forth between his hands. His grandmother had sent the cloudy sphere to him the day before, which was when Draco had seen it as an opportunity to belittle him.

Neville almost hunched in on himself but stopped when he saw Harry peering expectantly at him from around Draco. That's right, Harry would expect him to stand up for himself. If he, Neville, managed to say anything at all, Harry would probably finish Draco off for him. Harry would always provide him the support he needed in order to finish a goal, just as long as he showed actual effort towards achieving said goal first. This had been proven time and time again during their teamwork on homework assignments and physical health. (For some reason Harry was adamant that they eat healthy, citing some whales and walruses he was apparently related to...though Neville was relatively sure neither muggles nor wizards were actually related to animals.) Also, Harry refused to allow him to be weak. If he wanted to stay at _his_ side, he would need to step it up and act like the strong man he hoped to someday be. A man like his father, the brave Auror Frank Longbottom.

"Ah! That I did Draco, but it seems that you've taken quite a fancy to my trinket. Perhaps you are in need of one yourself? I'm sure my Grandmother could spare the change to purchase another one for you. Or I suppose you could just have that one." Neville gave a shrug and watched in satisfaction as Draco's mask of arrogance momentarily faltered. He clearly hadn't expected the reaction he had gotten.

"I don't think I've met your friends, Draco." Harry pulled attention smoothly over, making the young slytherins turn around to look at him. As both Harry and Neville stood up from their meal, he continued, "I take it these are from the… better was it? …. Families."

Draco finally seemed to realize he'd trapped himself between a rock and a hard place. 'How very un-slytherin.' Harry mused as he stepped around the boy in question.

"Y-yes… Well sort of. Potter! Where do you think you're going? You can't just walk away like this!"

"Sort of? Hm…. If you say so, Draco." The blonde was turning an interesting shade of pink. Clearly most of his better-than-you mask was just for show. "Please excuse us." With that, two heirs of Ancient and Noble houses swept away from the heir of the French Ancient house. When Harry had shared his discovery that Malfoy was a descendent from the French Knight Lancelot whose house still has never been legally recognized with citizenship of Magical Britain, Neville had just about died from laughter. They not only out ranked the blonde aristocrat, but they also belonged here at Hogwarts for more than a child of a foreign house. Playing by Malfoy's own rules would be a source of much amusement for both of them in the future. After all, Hogwarts and Magical Britain were simply an ongoing masquerade for the gentry, a masquerade where these two were fated to tear off many a mask.

Just before they passed through the doors, they heard Malfoy loudly proclaim, "You just wait till my father hears about this!"

'Your father is the mask you wear, it's him they hear!' Nope, Harry shook his head. That one just didn't follow the music enough. Bummer, it'd been a great opportunity. It also messed up his castings. 'Oh well, maybe next time.'

In the entryway, just outside the Great Hall they were cornered by Ron for yet another confrontation.

'My my, this day is shaping up to be quite annoying.' Harry gave an exasperated sigh.

"They were all wrong about you! You aren't some hero! You're just another slimy evil dark wizard! I saw you being all friendly with Malfoy just now! You can't hide your true self from me. Neville, you should stay far away from this imposter just like I told you!"

"You told him to stay away from me?" A cold voice echoed around the entry way. Ron and Neville gave a little shudder at the cold, expressionless mask on Harry's face. "And what, pray tell, will you do to him if he doesn't bow to your demands?"

"Me and the other boys will show him the errors of his ways!" Ron quickly rallied his pompous stance.

"Is that so." Harry glared at the boy. Neville watched worriedly from the sidelines. Behind the boys, hidden in the shadows, a phantom was waiting for the opportune moment to swoop in and take points. "So what you're saying is that you are a bully. That you are a coward in need of minions to pick on someone else. That you can't see past the end of your nose or a family name. So what you're telling me is that you, Ron Weasley, should be remember by me as a fool." The phantom's eyes widen briefly in surprise. "I am but acquaintances with both you and Draco. Your family fued has nothing to do with me or mine. But if you threaten us, then my own position will change. Are we clear?"

'When did Neville become mine!? Bloody hell Harry, what is wrong with you! I don't do friends! I don't trust anyone! And I most certainly do NOT draw battle lines. Fade into the background as much as possible you idiot!' His internal voice was frantically berating him when another voice cut through his thoughts.

"Ah! There it is! That incessant arrogance of your father! Going around threatening other students are we, Potter? Not on my watch. Twenty points from Ravenclaw. Another twenty points each from Gryffindor for fomenting. Now don't you have places to be?" The Phantom Snape swept past them and back to his dark dungeon.

'Perhaps to brew more portions of the night?' Harry absently thought. 'He knew my father…'

After a pale Ron disappeared around a corner, Neville turned back towards Harry. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm Gryffindor myself, remember? Brave, stubborn, and all that rot." He gave Harry a fake cocky wink and gave him a nudge with his shoulder. "Let's go."

Harry just gazed silently, with empty eyes, in the direction the Phantom of the Dungeon had vanished in. Then he gave a partial nod and moved to head towards the transfiguration classroom. He had never worn such a sad face in front of Neville before. It was the first time Harry had heard such a negative description in reference to his father by a fellow wizard. Sure his relatives had called his parents many horrible things, but every witch and wizard he'd come across had used a much different vocabulary for them. Once again he was left feeling lonely and wondering what they'd really been like.

'Wishing you were somehow here again.

Wishing you were somehow near.

Sometimes it seemed

If I just dreamed

Somehow you would be here.'


	5. Ch 4: Quoth the Dragon, Nevermore

Disclaimer: I do not own The Raven and all partial quotes from it belong to Edgar Allen Poe. I also do not own The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes.

On a side note, I know it's a bit hard to follow Harry's different conversations at times. He's been alone and abused for so long that he's developed his own imaginary world. Children/people who feel isolated or in need of an escape often will do that sort of thing. It's a coping mechanism. In Harry's case, since he's magical, I had his Imaginary world develop into his complex mindscape where he'll occasionally give snide/sarcastic remarks. Consider it like a running satire in his head. He wouldn't dare say it out loud which would result in a beating or other form of punishment. In the future, as Harry accepts the fact that he is no longer alone, there will be less need to talk to himself as he finds conversation partners in Neville etc. I also set him up to be advanced for his age vocabulary-wise. Considering his cousin's bullying tendencies, Harry probably spent all his down time at school hidden in a library where he could escape to other worlds. All that reading would naturally develop his speech to be more advanced than others would expect.

"Conversation"

'Internal Monologue'

~Dragontongue~

[Action]

* * *

Chapter 4: Quoth the Dragon, Nevermore

Time passed. Harry and Neville learned. Ron and Draco feuded. Toil and Trouble...sorry...Gred and Forge...no it was Fred and George...hmmmm... Toil and Trouble pranked. And the girl named Hermione Granger continued to know all things because she'd read about them in a book. Slowly, the girl found herself avoided by student and teacher alike. After all, it was quite intimidating to constantly be in the presence of an all knowing being. Tonight though, Hermione would face an experience that she didn't know all about. Sure, she'd read about them, but in reality, trolls were much more intimidating. All the knowledge she had stashed in her brain made absolutely no impact on what her hand and, by extension, wand did. In fact, her wand did absolutely nothing at all.

It was Halloween, and dinner at Hogwarts was in full swing. Everyone was celebrating quite happily just as they had celebrated every year for the last ten years and longer. Tonight was a night of candies and pumpkins, of costumes and feasts, of laughs and screams, and of course victory over the Dark Lord Voldemort. This was also the night a certain young orphan knew as a time of commemoration and mourning. Harry was not at the feast. Nor was he in the library or the Ravenclaw common room. He wasn't even on his bed with the curtains drawn, eyes shut, and kitten staring worriedly at his face with two front paws balanced on his chin. No, Harry was in his mindscape looking through everything he'd learned about his parents. He was curled up in front of the telly memory player in the cottage living room. Unknown to him, Harry had been in his own mind until well past midnight, and EmberLight was at her limit with worry.

Suddenly there was a flash of lightning outside the cottage, and Harry was alerted to another presence entering his mind. This presence wasn't grating like Quirrell's and Snape's, nor was it unavoidable like the hat's. It was reassuring and moved calmly towards him like it belonged in his mind even though it was foreign to it. At a soft tap, the front door opened, and in walked a beautiful ebony dragon. From nose to tail tip was about a meter and from shoulder to toe was about 40 centimeters. She had horns that curved elegantly back from her head and her wings flared slightly at every step. Splashes of brilliant crimsons and golds throughout her scales made her chosen name proud. EmberLight's golden eyes stared intently into Harry's own emerald ones from across the room.

'How?'

'You worried me, Little Lord. It's November first now. You've been here for hours.'

'Yes... But how?'

'We've completed the familiar bond.'

'I see.'

EmberLight knew that Harry did not truly see. He still did not fully trust anyone. However, that had at least worked in her favor for once, as she was not human, but a dragon. Therefore, even though her young Dragon Lord was still shy and skittish at times, he had let her stay nearer than any other being in his life. Now, she would prove to him that his hesitant and shaky trust was well founded and safely guarded.

'I will never leave you, Dragon Lord. I am yours and you are mine.' At these words another flash of lightning crossed the sky and EmberLight seemed to gain a double. The second one drew closer to Harry while the original faded from view.

Harry stared at her for a few minutes before responding in a softly challenging voice.

'Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,

Over many a strange and curious volume of forgotten lore—

While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,

As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my cottage door.

"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my cottage door—

Only this and nothing more."

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak November;

And the beast by name of Ember cast her shadow on the floor.

Nothing farther would be uttered—not a wing would be fluttered—

Till I scarcely more than muttered "Other friends have flown before—

On the morrow s _he_ will leave me, as my Hopes have gone before."

Quoth the Dragon,"Nevermore."

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,

"Doubtless," said I, "what it utters is its only stock and store

Caught from this unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster

Followed fast and followed faster till my songs one burden bore—

Till the dirges of my Hope that melancholy burden bore

Of 'Never—nevermore'."'

At the end Harry had turned away from EmberLight to hide a face of agony.

'Touche, Little Lord. I will leave you nevermore.' With that the dragon quietly curled around Harry's huddled form. It was true. EmberLight would always have a part of herself consciously dwelling in Harry's mindscape for the rest of their lives, such was the power level of this familiar bond.

 _****The Morning after Halloween****_

Harry woke late for breakfast that friday morning. Yet, it had been the best rest he could ever recall experiencing in his short life. EmberLight had cuddled up tightly to him in both mind (as dragon) and body (as kitten), providing a warm and rare sense of security.

With a spring in his step and Ember kitten still fast asleep (the bed pocket on his bag had been yet another stroke of genius by Ethan), Harry jogged quickly to the potions classroom. After greeting Neville with the most brilliant smile the boy had ever seen, Harry plopped into the seat next to him.

"Morning Neville. Did you enjoy the feast last night?"

"Morning Harry. Don't tell me you haven't heard?" Neville gave Harry a quick searching look. "You haven't. Well, last night, right in the middle of the feast, Professor Quirrell came running into the Great Hall screaming about a troll in the dungeon. Being the useful sort of professor that he is, he then fainted. ('Wow, Harry is really rubbing off on me.') Everyone went into a panic until Professor Dumbledore ordered us all to our common rooms while the professors saw to the troll."

"But the Slytherin dorms are in the dungeons somewhere. Even the Hufflepuffs are close to the dungeons…"

"Yes, that thought went through my head as well. But what was I to do? I'm eleven. I can't go up again Professor Dumbledore in the middle of a crisis. I mean, he didn't even send the students with teachers, just prefects!"

"No, it wasn't your responsibility, Neville. Nothing you could have done. I'm sure if I had been somewhere other than my bed you would have found and warned me. That's what counts. Why not just lock the students safely in the Great Hall where they were already consolidated? I mean, they clearly must have assumed everyone was already at the feast, so that would be the logical decision, right? [tsk] How did a troll get in the school in the first place? I honestly don't know what to think about all this."

"It's fine if you don't know what to think, Mr. Potter. I highly doubt there is much room in that tiny brain of yours to do much extra thinking at all." Professor Snape limped to the front of the classroom with his signature sneer in it's usual place. "Five points from Ravenclaw for discussing non-class related matters." With that potions started in full swing.

After class, Harry and Neville headed to a private tower room they had discovered a few days prior. It was almost exactly equal distance between the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor common rooms and had a beautiful view of the Black Lake and some of the Forbidden Forest. It was almost as if Hogwarts had provided the room for her master's need of solitude. The two boys had been trying to get back to their common rooms after a long study session in a crowded library. The stairs had kept moving to force them further up. Finally giving up on the endeavor to sleep, they'd followed where the stairs led. At the top of the stairs had been a beautiful statue of a napping dragon. The words "Never tickle a sleeping dragon." were engraved on it's base.

Well, obviously Harry and Neville were much too smart to ignore a warning like that. In the end, EmberLight had hopped from Harry's shoulder to the nose of the statue where her little whiskers and paws tickled the statue into a fit of sneezes. One cannot possibly sleep through a fit of fire and smoke inducing sneezes, and so the dragon rose to sit on it's haunches and gaze down at the impudent whelps that had so rudely awakened him. How handy it had been that Harry was not only a Dragon Lord but also the owner and master of Hogwarts! Oddly enough, he hadn't needed to tell the dragon his credentials before the beast seemed to recognize him and step smoothly to the side. Anyways, long story short, the dragon, Custos, had been hiding the entrance to a suite of rooms in the highest tower of Hogwarts. Now he guarded the same door as the private get-away room for Harry and Neville.

"So tell me what happened after the teachers went after the troll? Did the students have trouble getting to the common rooms?"

"Well, no one in Gryffindor took a roll call so no one in our house noticed anyone was missing. Did no one notice you were neither at the feast nor in the common room? [a negative shake of a head] Guess it wasn't just Gryffindor negligence. Anyways, do you remember Hermione Granger? She's in Gryffindor in our year… [an affirming nod] Well you see, she wasn't at the feast either! Apparently, Ron said something nasty behind her back, which turned out to be right in front of her. She'd been crying all evening in the girls lavatory where the troll found her. She's in the hospital wing with serious injuries. So in answer to your question before class, no the feast wasn't that great." Neville finished his report with a rueful shake of his head and dropped onto the old sofa they had dragged over by a window. Great clouds of dust billowed out of the cushions. Harry opted to lean against the, thankfully, open window while he filed away all the information that Neville had given him. There were definitely some tidbits of alarming red flags here and there that he would have to process later.

"Well, I suppose she would appreciate a copy of our class notes. Probably more than any usual patient would." [two dry chuckles]

"I didn't realize you were that close to her?" Neville couldn't hide his surprise at the decision.

"I'm not. But that doesn't change the golden rule now does it?" At Neville's confused look, Harry rolled his eyes and continued. "'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.' In other words I would appreciate it if someone gave me a copy of their notes if I missed class… you get it. Consequently, I also follow the inverse interpretation of that same rule. For example, if you mistreat someone, then you clearly wish to be mistreated in return. That's how so many laxatives made it into the meals I make for my relatives… BLOODY HELL I can't believe I just told you that! Forget everything I just said Neville. It's all Ember's fault! She's got me so relaxed I'm being loose-tongued!" This was accompanied by a panicked Harry-face and a kitten who appeared to be rolling on the floor growling out little kitten laughs.

Neville gave him a calm smile that completely covered his inner delight at this breaking of Harry's usual standoffish front. "Not a worry, Harry. I don't remember what you wanted me to forget. I gave my remembrall to Draco, you see…" [wink]

That said, the boys settled down for a few minutes of relaxation before they headed down to lunch. Harry was quickly caught up in memories of his own injuries and how amazed he'd been at the magical healing abilities wizards had. The Granger girl would be healed up in no time, he had no doubt.

 _****Flashback to One Week before Kings Cross Station****_

Harry and EmberLight slipped quietly into the dark kitchen at the Dursley's. It was one o'clock in the morning, and even though he now had a stasis cupboard in his little Trunk Home, Harry had a hard time keeping up on groceries. The magi-carpenter, Ethan Bond, had suggested the cupboard when Harry had inquired about getting a fridge or the wizard equivalent. It was already a life saver. When before, Harry would've had to go up to three days with only a piece of bread and some water as punishment for whatever crime he allegedly committed, now Harry could eat a small meal three times a day. (His stomach just wouldn't allow for much more.) However, the pounds he'd exchanged for at Gringotts had finally run out, and now he was ready to go back to his old scavenging habits. At least he wasn't locked in and could actually get to the kitchen! Next summer he'd have to budget his money better.

'Not too bright now are we? Going to starve to death, but at least we'll look nice doing it! It's all well worth it.' **Me** gave a very sarcastic run down of the current situation.

'Hey! I'm only 11! It's not like I had any experience with money up to this point! I won't need new clothes next year so it will be completely different.' **I** declared confidently.

'But **Myself** will still want more novels and muggle study books…' **Me** whispered.

'Hey stop being so negative **Me**!' **I** sounded quite indignant.

'You know, they say a sign of madness is when a person starts talking, arguing, and then loosing said arguments with him or herself.' **Myself** put in his two pence.

'Oh bother. This is just not going to work.' Harry ended the conversation abruptly as his stomach gave an angry groan. He quickly pulled a cabinet door open and dug around in the back for a forgotten can of...well anything edible really. 'Nope, keeping up Me, Myself, and I personalities would be an unrealistic amount of effort. I'll just have to think of some other way to differentiate Harry Potter The-Boy-Who-Lived and Ghost Freak The-Slave-of-Relatives. Oh the tribulations of raising oneself! It is truly overwhelming some days… Speaking of which, what do we have here?'

Hanging on the fridge was a doctor's form for Dudley to have filled out at an appointment in a few days. Apparently it was required that all students entering Smeltings Academy had a full physical with proof of up-to-date immunizations.

'Hmmmmm… I wonder if I needed to do that for Hogwarts? Hagrid didn't mention it, but he wasn't exactly helpful beyond showing me where Diagon Alley's basic shops and Gringotts are… He didn't really go over the school requirements or rules.' Harry had found a book later that covered most of that information: Hogwarts, a History. 'Maybe I should get a health appointment as well? Does the magical world have its own hospital like it does a bank? Drat. More to look into, and now I'm running out of time before I actually leave!'

The next day, Harry and EmberLight double checked Dudley's second bedroom and Harry's cupboard under the stairs for any and all things that might have been forgotten. Everything that belonged to Harry was now safely stashed in his trunk hanging on the chain around his neck. EmberLight had decided to switch things up and morphed into a black squirrel instead of the normal kitten appearance she used for their public appearances. Harry himself was in the guise of a blonde young man with warm brown eyes. He'd had to pick up a set of larger clothes so he could look the part of a responsible adult so as not to draw the attention of concerned mothers. The sight of a well-dressed little boy wandering around by himself seemed to stir some strange sense of protectiveness and nosy responsibility in older people. However, these same people would blissfully look the other way when passing a skittish child in the company of a much better dressed and clearly normal family.

Anyhow, getting back on track, Harry and EmberLight were leaving for Diagon Alley with no intention of returning till the next summer. After choking down a disgusting can of green beans the night before, boy and tiny dragon had further discussed his money situation and the doctor's form. Harry and EmberLight had decided it would be best to stay the last few days before classes started at the pub in Diagon Alley where they had stayed the night with Hagrid. After all, he still had plenty of galleons! During this time they would hopefully get Harry in to see a doctor. Form or no form required, he still had a lot of health issues that needed tending, as Ember pointed out. After paying for a five night stay, the bartender in the pub was more than happy to point them toward St. Mungo's which was the wizarding equivalent to a hospital. They set an appointment for the next day at 10 o'clock.

As it so happened, it was during Harry's morning preparation for his doctor's appointment that he got his inspiration for how to create separate personas without developing a personality disorder and driving himself mad! He would attach different personality traits, such as silence, apathy, and autopilot, to pieces of clothing, such as an old, too-big t-shirt, ripped up jeans, and duct taped trainers with a hole in one of the toes and the soles peeling back. These pieces of clothing would be stored in a trunk in the tower of his mind's cottage. He would don the necessary articles of "clothing" depending on his environment. The current set was dubbed "Ghost Freak", and it would be exchanged during the train ride for the set he'd make for "Evan Jameson". "Evan Jameson" would be his "normal/true personality" and would consist of different pieces of his base traits for other necessary sets he might need in the future. Once he settled on the traits/personality of "Harry Potter The-Boy-Who-Lived", he'd change into that at Hogwarts. This system might be slightly complicated to set up, but in the long run it would make his life much simpler. Harry had no idea how advanced his natural occlumency must have been in order to be able to achieve this endeavor with no help or instruction. Not that he would have cared, come to think of it.

A long walk through London, a longer rest in a waiting room, and a short wait in patient room #3 and Harry finally got to meet his doctor healer.

"Hello Mr. Potter. It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Healer Greengrass and I'll be the one helping you today, and if all goes well, any time you need medical attention in the future. Now, I am to understand that your guardians, both magical and muggle, were unable to make this appointment? It's rather unusual to see an underage patient without a guardian, you see."

"My magical guardian is illegally staying in magical prison. My muggle guardians are unable to look at me without wishing to do illegal harm to myself. So you see, today it's just me." Harry gave the man a half smirk. "I did read your Healer Vows and underage or not, you are magically bound to your patient's privacy. Meaning, you can't inform anyone else of my state of health or anything I tell you, correct?"

Healer Greengrass was now carefully looking Harry over. "Yes, that is correct. Absolutely nothing will leave this room. Your choice of words bring many questions to mind. Any chance of getting them answered?"

"Beyond what you find out for yourself, no." Harry responded flatly. Vow or no vow, there was only so far he was willing to open himself up.

"Fair enough. Shall we begin?" And with that, 13 fractured, broken, or poorly mended bones were identified. Malnutrition and a lack of any immunizations, magical or muggle, were recorded. And lastly, horrendously bad eyesight and an improper glasses' prescription were declared outrageous. Disgusting bone-healing potions were poured down his throat and a box of chalk flavored nutrition potions were deposited in his lap to be taken daily. His eyes were bathed in a irritating potion held up to his face in a cup type gizmo for three minutes and a short spell chant. The immunizations had been given to him to take at hour intervals the next day. It would be too much for his body and magic to handle all at once, especially on top of what it had already helped to fix that day. However, when Harry mentioned the parasite shard the goblins had found, the healer had said he'd need to search out a proper specialist for that sort of thing. Harry would probably have to wait till next summer to get rid of it. Well, he'd survived it for ten years already, what was one more?

One day later, Harry was exhausted and sore. Two days later, he couldn't wake up let alone move, much to the concern of a certain dragon. Three days later, an ecstatic EmberLight greeted a Dragon Lord who had never felt better or seen clearer before in his entire short life.

 _****Back to the Present****_

Time passed quickly from Halloween to Christmas break. Neville had looked hesitant to leave him alone for the holidays much to Harry's amusement. He'd been alone all his life so he wasn't really worried about missing Neville. Yes, the boy had gotten closer to him than any other human being, but that didn't mean Harry needed him. For once he wouldn't be in a cupboard during Christmas day and he wouldn't be alone, EmberLight would be there. All was well in the world.

So Neville packed his things up and headed down to the train. Harry said good bye at the entrance. Enjoying the beautiful snow covered scenery from a warm vantage point was much more to his liking. If Neville was going to leave him then he could go on his bloody own through that muddy slush and cold carriage ride! 'Not that I'm holding his leaving against him, mind you. It's just the principle of the matter.' [curt nod]

Dinner that evening was dull. Hogwarts was empty with the exception of a dozen or so students who were too busy studying or just trying to avoid something or other by hiding within the halls of the school. The Weasley redheaded horde was present, surprisingly. With such a big family Harry assumed they'd make Christmas a big yearly family event. Before he could make a swift escape after downing a small pile of mashed potatoes and steak, he was accosted and firmly escorted into a nearby classroom.

"Well hello there"

"Little Harry No-Name!"

"The last time we talked"

"You held out on us, you did!"

"That's true, brother George."

"True indeed, brother Fred."

"Ducking away from us,"

"At our first meeting with nary a name!"

"Avoiding us at all costs,"

"When you see us in the halls."

"Downright hurtful, that is."

"Pierced us right through the heart." They ended in sync again. Harry wondered how they did that or if they planned their speeches out before hand. If they did plan them, that would greatly decrease the awe of their ability to speak in such a away.

"I'm not sure what you mean. I'm sorry if I came off rude, but you are third year students with a hard-won reputation I'm sure you're proud of. You can understand my respectful distance, I'm sure." Harry tried to placate them with ego-soothing reason.

"Well played!"

"Well played indeed!"

"But we are not so easily blinded"

"By praise. Nor are we so easily"

"Swayed off subject."

"You didn't know us"

"To be wary of us."

"You avoided giving your name because you hate attention."

'Finally a full sentence by just Trouble!' Harry gave a mental cheer.

"That's true. I also am a pretty good judge of character. Seeing you two mess around for less than two minutes revealed your jokester nature. I've been targeted by bullies before, and I don't wish to deal with that again."

Both twins eyed him speculatively.

"Look Toil and Trouble, if I've hurt your feelings I apologize. If I judged too quickly, it is my mistake. I've never seen you hurt anyone…" Harry was praying they would release him as boring prey and move on.

"We aren't bullies."

"Sure, we've taken it too far once and awhile."

"But we wouldn't knowingly hurt someone,"

"Or put someone in danger."

"We do have brains."

"More than some other wizards around here."

"Aye, other wizards such as the one who put a death threat on the third floor corridor in school full of children."

"Or another one who bullies children to make up for his own school experience?"

"We see things, Little Harry."

"We hear things, Little Eaglet."

"Things from Ron, perhaps?" Harry challenged them. He knew Ron still called him names behind his back and spread false rumors when possible. Though he did leave Neville to his own devices after Harry's warning. 'The pompous prat! He and Draco have more in common than they know.'

"Yes, we've heard the things that Ron has to say."

"And we've also sought out the truth behind them."

Although the back and forth conversation had finally started to include complete sentences before the swap, it was still hard work following these two. Yet he couldn't just rudely walk away either. They were amusing if one didn't have to be wary of them as a threat. [sigh]

"I see. Well, let's cut to the chase then, shall we? Do you wish to see me humbled at your hands or can I rest assured that you are my allies and not my hunters?"

"Well it seems to me"

"That we are your hunters!"

'Drat them! They went back to fragmented sentences again!'

"We will hunt the prey"

"That our mighty Eagle sees."

"We are your Toil and Trouble!"

"Though which is which?"

"Oh, illusive Eaglet, can you tell? "

"Ah, so you did catch that. How embarrassing. Well I know you mix up your names every which way. Therefore I really have no idea which of you bears which of your legal names. However, you [points to the twin whose eyes appraise your weaknesses] are 'Trouble' and you [points to the twin whose eyes appraise your potential] are 'Toil'. From the moment I first saw you, these were your names." Harry's cheeks reddened and he gazed blankly out the window.

The twins, on the other hand, were ecstatic.

"Did you hear that Toil!?"

"We've been blessed with names!"

"From before we first met!"

"And they're perfect!"

"Tell us, can you really tell us apart?"

"Turn around! We're going to test this out!"

Harry was whipped around to fully face a stone wall while steps and rustling cloth could be heard from behind him.

"All right!"

"Turn around!"

"Who's who!?" This was said in sync once again.

Harry couldn't hide his smirk as he pointed out which twin went with which name. They had switched articles of clothing and walked around a bit so he wouldn't know from obvious clues. Too bad it was all in the eyes! [evil internal laugh]

"Blimey! You really can tell us apart."

"Well, we won't tell you which of us is really Fred and which is really George."

"You understand, we do need to keep some mystery!"

"That's completely understandable." Harry quickly agreed. It wasn't like it matter to him. He wouldn't have remembered anything but Toil and Trouble within three minutes of leaving the room anyways. Well, unless he really dug for the information in his archive of course, but that took such effort! "So are we good?"

"Yes, we're good"

"So very good!"

"Good at potions"

"Good at charms"

"Good at pranks"

"Others be warned!"

"We are the junior marauders!"

"If you ever need some hunters,"

"Call upon your Toil and Trouble!"

"We'll be there on the double,"

"Good night, Our Eaglet!" With that the twins bounced out the doors. Mission to approach Harry completed.

With a sigh of relief, Harry quietly slipped up to his own bed to sleep. Though it did cross his mind whom he wished to set his new found hunters on...

'The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees.

The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas.

The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,

And the marauders came pranking—

Pranking—Pranking—

The marauders came pranking, up to the Phantom's-door.'

 _****Christmas Day****_

This was by far the best Christmas Harry had ever had. His cloak had decided to return to him. Well the thief finally relinquished it…. Did whoever wrote the unsigned note really think he'd believe that his father who was IN HIDING had turned over something so useful as an invisibility cloak to someone else over his own family? Really? Highly doubtful. But what was done was done and it was back where it should be, with Harry.

Neville had sent him a fireproof blanket, and wasn't that slightly concerning? It was big enough to comfortably cuddle both him and EmberLight in full dragon form. In varying shades of dark green with leaves stitched here and there, it was the softest, warmest blanket he'd ever seen. Neville had sent him a little piece of heaven! Perhaps you had to know the cold of being locked into a dark cupboard during a snowstorm to really appreciate a blanket. The heaters' comfort never did reach the cupboard under the stairs, surprise surprise. How on earth had Neville guessed how much this gift would mean to him? Maybe the fact that he instinctively huddled as close as possible to any and all heat sources had tipped him off. Their private tower rooms had an old fireplace that was luckily still in working order, so they spent a lot of time ensconced there. If Harry could he would go into hibernation. That's a fact. Harry was thankful he'd thought to owl order a seedling devil's snare for Neville after the boy had gone on about the octopus-wanna-be for a week straight.

In another package from the twins, he found a Honeydukes chocolate bar and a prank potion that would turn the drinker into eagle for an hour. Random, but much appreciated. 'Well perhaps not so random. They did call me their Eaglet.' He'd keep the potion safe incase he needed a quick escape some day. The chocolate was put in his stasis cabinet for future need.

'You are not Eaglet! The nerve of those red monstrosities! I'm going to give them a piece of my mind later! Degrading Dragon Lord down to a mere bird!' EmberLight blew a great breath of flame in Harry's mind's forest to prove her point.

'You may, with my blessing, my most beautiful queen of the skies.' Harry gave her a smirk.

Hermione had sent him a book about proper quill usage. Apparently the notes he'd given her during the two weeks she'd been imprisoned in the hospital wing were "illegible, but suitably comprehensive of the subjects once I was able to translate them." Rude as always, but the book would definitely be read. He hadn't gotten her anything as he didn't really consider her more than an acquaintance… 'Oh well. How was I to know she'd send me something. I wasn't expecting anything at all, least of all from her!'

It was after the last present had been opened that his magical core decided to send him a gift as well. He held his clenched fists tightly to his heart as he tried to breath through the feeling of his magic twisting temporarily out of his tight control. Green and gold bursts of lightening encircled him, giving off a feeling of ecstasy. He'd never felt so strange, so heady. Then, something was in his fist that hadn't been there a moment before. When he opened his hand, there lay his tiny fairy pixie. No taller than his pinkie, she had wings and hair to remind him of a sunset. Norstra was wearing an emerald green dress that was clearly made from his own raw magic. Wait…

'Norstra?' Golden eyes blinked up at him from both mindscape and hand.

'Yes, that is my name, Harry,' a soft voice echoed through his mind's cottage. 'You have finally found a place of safety and have fully healed. Now I can actually separate from your core and accompany you on your life's adventure. I will sleep in your core again only if it becomes necessary.'

'Just out of curiosity, how did I know your name?'

'Because it is a part of you just as I am. We were born together. We have grown together. Isn't it natural that you should know my name?'

'Yes, I suppose it is. Welcome back to wakefulness my Guiding Light, there is someone I wish you to meet. EmberLight, come meet our Norstra.' While dragon and pixie had flitted around his mind's cottage establishing who had what responsibility, Harry came to a sudden revolutionary realization.

'I really _will_ be alone, **nevermore**.'


	6. Ch 5: Liv'n & Rock'n to the 80's

Disclaimer: I do not own 'Shout' by Tears for Fears, 'We're Not Gonna Take It' by Twisted Sister, or 'Na Na Hey Hey' by Steam. I recommend a youtube break if you haven't heard these. :)

Reminder: Harry Potter's first year was 1991. I'm trying to keep all songs/story/quotes be from before or during his time at Hogwarts.

"Conversation"

'Internal Monologue'

~Dragontongue~

[Action]

* * *

Chapter 5: Liv'n & Rock'n to the 80's

When Neville finally returned to Hogwarts, he almost walked right by the figure leaning nonchalantly on a railing accompanied on both sides by two much taller redheaded guardians.

"Well now that's just rude and hurtful."

Neville spun around at the sound of that voice. The small, lean figure was still looking off towards Hogwarts whose windows twinkled as bright lights in the darkness.

"Harry?"

"Of course," came the muffled reply. Harry turned around and Neville had to hold in a wild chuckle. The boy was covered from head to toe in a heavy black winter cloak (with hood pulled up), black winter gloves, and black knee high winter boots. He would have looked like a person of evil intent in all that black, but the picture was ruined by the red beanie and Ravenclaw scarf he was also sporting. Then Neville smiled as he had never smiled before.

'He came for me. He actually came to meet me.'

"I'm back."

"Obviously. Now let's go."

"Of course." Neville barely held in another chuckle. 'This boy…'

Harry led them all the way back to their getaway tower without uttering another word to Neville. Though he did stop by the Gryffindor dorms to drop off his twin bodyguards who had apparently taken it upon themselves to accompany Harry if he ever left the castle doors. It wasn't till he was wrapped up in the blanket from Neville in front of the roaring fire that Harry finally seemed to refocus on the other boy.

"Sorry, welcome back Neville. I hate the bloody cold. It completely freezes the brain."

"Not a worry. It is pretty chilly out. By the way, thank you for my seedling Devil's Snare! You should have seen my Grandmother's face when she saw it. I don't think she believed I had actually made friends. She still thinks I'm practically a squib." [sigh] "Anyhow, I had a thought as to where to raise it. You keep this main room at a consistent warm temperature that would be very conducive for plant growth. How about I pot it near the entrance and it can grow to be an extra security measure for us? At least during our time at Hogwarts." Neville glanced back at the door area he was speaking of before stopping to take a good look around the main room of their tower suite. "Did you have the house elves clean this place up?"

"What are house elves? No, my fairy pixie declared the former state of affairs a health risk and went absolutely crazy cleaning and refurbishing… What's this about you being a squib? What's that supposed to mean?"

"You have a fairy pixie!? I've heard those are practically extinct! May I meet her?" Neville stared at Harry in awe.

"Of course. She's sitting right here after all." Harry pointed to his ebony bird's nest that passed as his hair. Neville now noticed a pair of bright wings sticking out past a couple tufts of hair. He leaned closer and gave a soft greeting so she hopefully wouldn't think his appraisal too rude. The color of her wings reminded him of the beautiful butterflies that visited his flower garden at home, but they were shaped closer to a dragonfly's wings. They were bright reds and golds fluttering like tiny fall leaves or flecks of the sunset caught in Harry's hair. She was gorgeous.

"Her name is Norstra, and she's mine." Harry's voice held a pleased possessiveness he seldom exposed. He'd shown it towards EmberLight and very very rarely towards Neville (a conversation with Ron comes to mind).

Neville nodded in agreement to his claim. "I can tell. Have the professors noticed her yet?"

"Nope, I think she put up a sort of professor-notice-me-not."

"Brilliant."

"Now, explain the squib and no friend comment." Harry's voice took on a harder edge.

'He really is protective. Probably shouldn't mention my uncle dropping me out a window...'

"Squibs are people born to magical parents who don't have magic. Technically they have a core, but it's too small for them to access. As to the other thing, you know how I was at the beginning of the year… I was pretty weak. I still have no idea why you decided to befriend me."

Harry's entire body bristled. Then Ember kitten followed suit. Then a very indignant fairy pixie shot from his hair over to Neville's face where she promptly whacked him on the nose and little angry peeps gave testimony to the fact she was yelling at him.

"Don't you **ever** say something like that again." Harry's eyes were narrowed and his voice had gone cold in the way that always sent a shiver down the spine of those who heard it. "Neville, you look me in the eyes and tell me you won't. You are **not** weak. You belong at my side. What I decide to do is not your right to question or ponder. Am I clear?"

"I won't." Neville had the unnerving feeling that he should follow that with 'my lord' or, better yet, 'sire'. He dipped his head slightly in respectful submission.

"Now plant your little death trap and warn it not to bother me or I'll set it on fire." Harry sent him one more glare then turned back to the fire with a huff. "Squib my foot. You are powerful. Your magic practically rolls off you, you idiot. It's probably got something to do with your wand or your confidence. You understand intent and I've bashed confidence into your thick skull so it can't be that. However, I have no idea how Ollivander could have made a mistake."

"It's my father's wand." Neville quietly offered, trying to defuse Harry's anger that was practically swirling around him at this point.

"You really are a dolt! A complete and utter….wait a minute. You're supposed to have an actual magical grandmother… This may not be your fault. I rescind my earlier comment. It's your grandmother who is an incompetent moron. 'The wand chooses the wizard.' That's what Ollivander said. No wonder your spellwork is inconsistent. That piece of wood is not your wand. Write your guardian and inform her that you will need to purchase a new one as yours was broken." Harry advanced on Neville threateningly.

"NO! It's my father's, Harry. Even if it's not mine and what you said is true, I don't want it broken! I'll write to her and get her to take me to Diagon Alley on the weekend. Don't break it." Neville held it protectively to his chest. "It's my father's…. You understand right? My father, he's in St. Mungo's with my mother. Permanently. This is one of my treasures."

Harry faltered. "Right. I'm sorry Nev. Of course I won't break it… Sorry for being like this. I've never had a friend before. I don't… I'm sorry. Don't be angry. Please." He backed away from Neville.

"It's ok. It's alright if it's like this, Harry. I'll stop you if you go too far, like just now. Don't back away! I can handle this!" Neville forcefully pulled Harry's chin up so he had to look him in the eyes. "I can handle this." He repeated. Harry gazed at him for a long moment before nodding silently. Neville released his chin and went to the desk to write the promised letter. After all, Harry had good points and it was important to have a wand that worked. He needed it in order to to be strong for both his parents and for Harry. He could still feel Harry staring at him with questioning eyes from across the room. They had just made progress. No doubt about it. That terse and skittish boy who was also so strong and caring was slowly opening up to him. This was a friendship that mattered. One that would last a lifetime. He just knew it.

"Hm..hm...hm hm hm hm…."

[click, click, snap]

"Shout, Shout

Let it all out

These are the things I can do without

Come on

I'm talking to you

Grand-maa…"

Harry had apparently snapped back from his moment of weakness and now was softly singing along with a song playing on the strange contraption he kept on the bookcase. He had evidently owl ordered it at the advice of his much praised and admired magi-carpenter. Neville gave a smirk. Yep, it was time to 'let it all out,' in a proper and lordly way, of course. Otherwise his strict guardian wouldn't take him seriously.

* * *

 _Dear Grandmother,_

 _I hope your day since my departure has been relaxing. I arrived safe and sound at Hogwarts this evening. Surprisingly, I was actually greeted at the station by my esteemed friend and companion, the one and only, Heir Potter. That he, who would rather never leave the fireside, would dare the cold to meet me was a true delight._

 _However, Grandmother, I do not take quill in hand to write to you of trite tales of my everyday life. These tidbits of personal details were not important to you while I dwelt under your roof, so I would hazard a guess that they are of even less interest to you now that I'm away from home. The truth of the matter is, I have been enlightened by a very shocking piece of information. "The wand chooses the wizard."_

 _It is my deepest desire to believe you unknowing of a fact known so clearly by my fellow eleven year old classmate. Unfortunately, you and I both know this to be untrue. You have ever endeavored to train me as a proper Longbottom heir and the pathetic replacement of your strong and honorable son, my own father. Madam, there is no doubt in my mind that you know that the wand I am currently using is not my own. How you could perform this travesty upon your grandson, I will never understand._

 _You, Madam, are my guardian and proxy. More importantly, you were the one coherent person I spent the past ten years of my life trying to please. How you could shirk your responsibilities and send me off to school without the proper wand is beyond my understanding. It is a dishonor upon the Longbottom line. You have made me look the weak, inconsistent novice instead of the powerful heir to two of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Houses. On this day, I am hesitant to call you Grandmother. I am sure that my honorable father would be disappointed in your choices regarding myself._

 _It is my desire that you would collect me this following weekend to to take me to Diagon Alley where I will purchase my own wand. If you do not follow through with this, I will know you to be an enemy of my Lines, and I will remember it when I take up my Headships. It is truly sad that I feel it necessary to take such drastic steps as the aforementioned one, but I would not recommend testing my resolve. I need my wand. I have goals that require it. I will make my parents proud of my choices and strength. Also, I have found someone worth changing for who inspires me to be the best that I possibly can be so that I may stay by his side. I will not be hindered in my quest to achieve these goals._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Heir Neville Longbottom nee Gryffindor_

* * *

 _****A Week Later****_

When Neville entered the Getaway Tower (EmberLight and Norstra had decided this was a great name for it) earlier than planned on that Saturday morning, he discovered a sight he hadn't had the pleasure of witnessing before. Before him a very distraught Harry was pacing back and forth.

"Neville! You're early! I wasn't expecting you till after lunch."

"Yes, well I told Hermione that I had already studied the parts she had planned to go over. She got all huffy and left." Neville gave a shrug. He'd only agreed to go to her study group to save her from the rest of the Gryffindors in their year. They had looked about ready to seriously light into her and that wouldn't have been a pretty sight. Her incessant nagging would drive an angel to anger let alone her fellow impatent lions. Besides Neville, no one else in Gryffindor seemed to share her insatiable appetite for studying, so he had tried to step up and defuse the situation. Unfortunately, he'd already gone over the reactions of the ingredients used in the Acne Clearing Potion with Harry on Friday and really had no desire to repeat it. He honestly didn't feel too bad for saying 'No' to Hermione. It wasn't his fault she hadn't checked to make sure the chosen topic was one he needed, and he was already being forced by Harry to study much more than he normally would. Not that he didn't appreciate the rewards of their achievements. Not at all.

"Ah." Harry gave the room another two tours before spinning to face him. "Neville, how are you at keeping secrets?"

"You know I would never tell."

"Yes. That's true." Harry looked over at EmberLight who was cuddling what looked to be the tiniest fledgling owl he'd ever seen. They seemed to hold a silent conversation before he turned his attention back onto Neville. "Um, do you have any protections though?"

Neville thought the question over for moment. "Are there protections I should know about?"

"Yes, if you talk to your goblin account manager you should be able to get a few accessories that will warn you if someone is attempting to control you through mind magic or potion. I learned about it over the summer. I had to clear off several compulsion charms over the holidays. I have no idea what they were trying to make me do as I had them wiped off within a couple minutes of the casting. Gave me a bit of a scare though. Also, a few professors like to take peeks into the minds of the students. I'm pretty sure they can practically read unprotected minds like a book… That seems to require a different sort of protection though."

"Well, I'll have to visit my account manager tomorrow when I'm in Diagon Alley to get my wand." A very shocked grandmother had written her grandson to expect her the next weekend for a trip to the alley. Apparently Neville's letter had been a bit of a reality check for her.

Harry nodded. "My biggest concern is if you have any protection against the professor's mind reading abilities… This far into the year though you will probably be safe… Just don't make eye contact with Snape and Quirrell. I noticed it only seems to happen when you make eye contact."

"I can do that. So tell me what the problem is, Harry."

"Yeah, well… So… What do you think of my new owl? Pretty sweet huh? He's an elf owl. I named him Atlas. The irony that he's only about five centimeters tall is pretty amusing. Don't you think?"

"Mhm… It's the first time I've seen one this small. Most wizards try to get owls that are big enough to carry packages or heavy documents. He really is a cute little thing isn't he?" The owl took a little hop towards him and spread his wings on display.

"Yeah he is. I couldn't let him go once I saw him." Harry offered the little bird a finger to perch on. "Only one problem. I can't have more than one pet."

"Ah. That is a problem." Neville waited patiently for Harry to continue.

"Well, I guess that's not the only problem… [frustrated groan] Neville, I actually swiped him from Hagrid. I had too! Hagrid forced him to hatch early! He shouldn't have hatched till the summer time, and only when his familiar bond activated. It's barbaric!"

"What do you mean? I've never heard of an owl breed that has those restrictions."

Harry ran his hands through his hair and dropped on the sofa. The owl flapped up to his shoulder while EmberLight climbed onto his lap and gazed up at his face.

"Alright. Neville. I need your help, but I can't ask for your assistance without telling you what you're really dealing with so I'm going to tell you a huge secret. You can't tell another soul. You have to promise me, Neville."

"I swear on my magic to never disclose Hadrian Potter's secrets." Neville flashed a deep red glow after his oath. "There, I will lose my magic if I betray your trust. Now tell me."

Harry gave him an indecipherable look. "Thank you. You have no idea how much that means to me." He plucked the elf owl (Atlas was it?) off his shoulder and offered him to Neville. "This is a dragon. A Norwegian Ridgeback, to be exact."

Neville almost dropped the animal. "I'm not sure I follow, Harry."

"He's in disguise. EmberLight is also a dragon. I disguised both of them so I could keep them with me. They're my familiars, Neville. Fully bonded. EmberLight and I bonded on Halloween and this little guy bonded to me when he hatched prematurely. He needed an immediate stabilizer or he would have gone feral and been the equivalent to an ordinary beast. I saw Hagrid in the library with a book on raising dragons and it made me suspicious. I followed him to his hut under my invisibility cloak and watched him pull the egg out of a cauldron he'd set over a fire. The rest I'm sure you can guess."

"You're fully bonded with two dragons, Harry? Are you absolutely sure?"

"What? Yes, yes of course. We can even speak in my mind." [dry chuckle] Harry caressed EmberLight's jaw. "Go ahead and show him, Ember." The kitten jumped off his lap and was the size of a medium size dog by the time she hit the floor. The next instant a beautiful little dragon was standing in the place of the kitten. She stretched out languidly while giving her wings a couple mighty flaps. After a lazy yawn that revealed pearly white teeth, she hopped back on the sofa and flopped her head on Harry's lap.

"Wow. Harry, do you any idea what this means? What this means in regards to me!?"

"Ah. Yes, I do know what it means, at least in regards to myself. Though besides my predicament of having two pets in a school that only allows one, I'm not sure how it affects you… I was going to ask if you'd be willing to take Atlas during the school year. Just pretend he's yours… The only reason I'm asking is because I don't think you're fully bonded to Trevor or too attached to him. I mean, he's always trying to run away and you never try bring him places with you. I don't know… This is completely out of line, but I don't know what else to do! I was going to ask if you could take Trevor with you tomorrow and have your grandmother take him back to your house. Then you could say you picked up Atlas while you were in town. You wouldn't be getting rid of Trevor or anything! You can say no. I'd totally understand." Harry refused to look up at this point.

"That is actually a very Slytherin plan." Neville took a moment to think things through then gave a nod. "I'll do it."

"You will?"

"I will."

"Oh thank Merlin! Thank you Neville! And don't worry! He's a great little guy, very down to earth. Even though he was just born, he understands the human tongue since he bonded with me so you can just tell him if he needs to know the why's and how's of things. He'll leave with me for the summer and be with both of us most of the time here so it shouldn't be too much pressure on you. Since he's disguised as an owl, his fire breath is out of commission so no concerns there." Harry finally ran out of breath.

Neville held up his hand to stop Harry from continuing. "It's fine. In fact, it's bloody brilliant. Harry, I have a confession of my own to make. I saw you reading your family Grimoires last fall and decided I should have spent more time researching my own. I got mine on my eleventh birthday, as I'm assuming you did. But I didn't really look at them much because I felt getting my Inheritance Bag while my parents were still alive was like giving up on them. Well, during the Christmas holidays I started looking through my Grimoires. I have two: one for the Longbottom's and one for the Gryffindor's. I think you know some of what I found about our family history."

Harry gave an unsure nod. He looked distinctly uncomfortable.

"The Longbottom's are direct descendants of the Gryffindor's. We can trace our family line all the way back to King Arthur." At this point Harry started shifting in his seat and glancing towards the door.

"Gwaine Gryffindor was one of King Arthur's knights of the round table and the only brother of Queen Guinevere, Arthur's wife. He took a blood oath as a brother in arms to Arthur. This oath bound his line to the Pendragon line until the death of the last blood heir. When Arthur fell in his final battle with the Romans, Guinevere went into hiding and used her maiden name. Her son, however, was the heir of Pendragon, so she used his maternal inheritance as a public name with the blessing of her brother, who was the Head of the House of Gryffindor. However, the family line was always Gryffindor née Pendragon legally. When a Pendragon descendant displayed dragon magics and inherited the title Dragon Lord, then the Gryffindor heir would once again stand at his side as his Warlord."

"At some point my family wished to fade into the background due to tragedy that had occurred. It was during this time that it was decided that the Longbottom name would be the visual name the Gryffindor heirs would use. You see the head of family at the time had married the last living member of the Longbottom's, so she could legally offer her own family name and headship to her child to use. By that time, the Gryffindor née Pendragon line had already adopted the Potter name, so the Gryffindor's felt it was safe to retire their own name without throwing the Pendragon's into the limelight as assumed heirs. I think you knew most of this, am I correct."

"...yes…" Harry tried to get up but EmberLight pressed her head firmly down on his lap so he couldn't move. He finally continued. "Yes, he took the maternal inheritance name as his public name and the Gryffindor name faded and it was assumed the line had ended."

"Exactly. However, even though the public names have changed and the legal names were kept sealed, the oath itself still stands."

"Ah. Well, is that so?" Harry gave a nervous laugh and finally shoved Ember off the sofa. Quickly leaping to his feet, he swiftly went to the window and flung it open. After taking several deep breaths, he spoke. "Why are you telling me all this. Just because I'm bonded to dragons doesn't mean I'm who you're eluding to."

"You are, and you know it." Neville frowned at him. "Only a Dragon Lord can have a familiar bond with a dragon, let alone multiple dragons. Do you even realize how powerful you must be to have more than one familiar?"

"No! I am NOT… You're not my… I don't **need** a Warlord. I mean I'm just a kid. To be honest with you, I have my doubts about staying in the magical world past school." Harry was as close to stuttering as he'd ever gotten.

"If you leave, I'll leave with you. You are the Dragon Lord. You couldn't deny it."

"Fine! Yes I inherited that title. But you don't need to worry about the blood oath. I consider it unnecessary or fulfilled or whatever!"

"That's not how it works, Harry. You know it. You've read your Pendragon Grimoire. That's where you found out about Draco's family information. Lancelot wanted to serve Arthur as a knight of the round table but Arthur refused him when he caught the man flirting with Guinevere. That dishonor would have been recorded to warn future generations."

Harry looked out towards the Black Lake. "I don't wish to be King of anyone, least of all Magical Britain."

"That is neither here nor there. My interest is my family's blood oath. Are you going to make me a dishonor to my line? Will you force me to loose my magic and family inheritance because you wouldn't accept my oath? I'm not forcing you to be the King of anyone else. I'm asking you to accept me as your Warlord. I'll follow you wherever you go, whatever you decide to do."

"What would a Warlord even do? We don't live in the medieval times anymore, Neville. Even Magical Britain is at least in the Victorian Era." Harry gave a defeated sigh. There was no way he'd be the cause of Neville losing such precious pieces of himself.

"I will draw the line of fire away from you in any way possible. The Warlord holds the line, whatever kind of battleline that may be, while the others provide other needs."

"Couldn't you wait till we're older? Like legally emancipated? Maybe when we're graduated? I mean we're eleven Neville. Don't you think a blood oath is a bit serious for children to dabble in?"

"Sire," Neville's stern voice forced Harry to face where he knelt on one knee. "I will always and forever be loyal to you. I will never betray you. I am yours and you are mine. My sword and my magic are yours to command. I am your Warlord of Gryffindor's Blood Oath and the Dragon Rider of Atlas. You will allow me to go before you." Neville's deep red magic reached out and was quickly accepted by Harry's own brilliant gold and green magic.

Harry frantically tried to pull his magic back. "NO! No, stop! Neville!"

"Too late." Neville gave him a satisfied smirk.

"How could you!? I told you no! I said to at least wait!"

"Till when? Till you were able to run away? Till you researched all possible loopholes? You've always considered me yours, admit it!"

"No!" The answer was almost a soft wail. "I wouldn't have run away. I wouldn't do that to you… What if I lose you? What if I fail you? What if… Do you have any idea…"

Neville quietly took his broken, fragile friend and king into a tight hug. "What will be, will be. You are my King, and I am your Warlord. For now though, we are classmates and friends. You are seriously like an older brother the way you look after me sometimes, you know. [snort] Now forget the serious issues for the moment and tell me how you made your dragons looks like owls and kittens. What does Atlas really look like? Can I see?" He gently turned Harry towards the two animals that were watching the happenings closely through golden amber eyes.

"I have no experience dealing with family, let alone a brother." Harry rested his forehead on Neville's shoulder. Suddenly he felt really tired. "You better never leave me. I won't ever forgive you if you do. No foolishly risking your life or any of that sort of Gryffindor rubbish. I mean it, Neville."

"Mhm. Now, about those dragons…"

'I can't promise that.' Neville thought to himself sadly, 'You are The-Boy-Who-Lived… I know from that title alone, someday you'll face danger again, and I'll be right there with you.'

 _****End of the School Year****_

Final examinations had ended, and the students of Hogwarts were relaxing after weeks of stress and high-strung nerves. For once, Neville and Harry were outside their Getaway Tower in the sky, and were basking in the feel of the grass blowing against their bodies as they lay close to the Black Lake observing the other students unwind. Nearby, Toil and Trouble were tossing the giant squid pieces of toast in hopes of befriending it for future devilish endeavors. Neville had learned their new names with much amusement after he had finally relaxed his paranoia around them. They had sworn to Harry to never prank him again, so he was relatively comfortable with them now.

Whenever Harry so much as peaked his head out the doors of the castle, the twins would appear on either side of him ready to accompany him. It was a bit odd, really, but the two younger boys hadn't fought it all that hard. No one wanted to draw the twins' wrath or even notice, so having them as bodyguards was actually quite fortuitous. At least it was in Harry's opinion, after all, he would gladly live as a hermit if permitted. Neville didn't mind the extra layer of isolation as it just gave him time to get to know the real Harry a bit more…the Harry that came out to play more and more as his walls around Neville dropped one stubborn chunk at a time.

The last few months had been peaceful and no one had questioned Neville's new choice of pet beyond a few scathing comments as to its obvious uselessness. ("It probably couldn't even lift a note, let alone a package of any kind.") But, considering the previous pet had been a toad, those snide remarks didn't last long. Atlas, just like EmberLight, attended Neville everywhere he went, with no exceptions. This constant companionship was the reason Harry had chosen to have the dragon morph into the Elf Owl breed. Neville could let him take a nap or hide comfortably in a pocket or bag during times when a visible animal would cause unwanted attention (such as during potion class). When they were in their tower room the two dragons would relax in their true forms or shrink themselves down into tiny dragons so they could practice flying about. They had informed the boys that forgetting how to rule the sky properly would be an embarrassment they could not endure.

As it turned out, Atlas had gained his name due to his coloring and not only the enormous size he would grow to be. He was a beautiful marbleized pattern of blue predominately and browns and greens, hence reminding Harry of the globe he had enjoyed exploring in his old muggle school's library. Atlas was a steady, quiet little fellow who enjoyed sitting on Neville's shoulder and observing the passing world. If something were to happen to Neville while he was separated from Harry, the young dragon would quickly tell the Dragon Lord through the familiar bond where he dwelled in Harry's mindscape. Within a few minutes, Harry would amble around the corner to check on them.

Over the summer, Neville intended to thoroughly explore his family libraries in order to improve his own mindscape as soon as possible. They had discussed the topic many times and concluded a mindscape was the best defense against mind invasion. It also had the added benefits of improving one's memory. This was a truly worthwhile subject to master, in Neville's opinion. However, Hogwarts' library had been completely lacking the necessary books to research the mind arts any further than a basic understanding of them. Due to his own harsh upbringing, he already had a rudimentary scape started, but it was nowhere near the level Harry described to him, so his work was definitely cut out for him.

Just when the boys were about to doze off for a short, well earned nap, Hermione abruptly invaded their bubble of peace and quiet. They had both, along with Hermione, shared the top spots for all the first-year subjects (each took first place in different subjects), much to the girl's shock and vexation.

"There you two are! I've searched everywhere! I need your help. Come with me. I need to explain this to you somewhere private."

Harry rolled his head to the side so he could see her. "More private than here?"

"Yes! Now come on." She grabbed Neville's hand and tried to drag him to his feet. He'd lost a lot of his baby fat over the year, but she still wasn't moving him without his help. Longbottom's were notorious late-bloomers. There was just no helping it, but he comforted himself with the fact that Harry was extremely small for his age so he was clearly also a late-bloomer.

"Really, Hermione, what could possibly need all the rush now? Exams are over! It's time to finally relax!" Neville unsuccessfully tried to tug his hand free as the twins quietly positioned themselves a bit closer...just in case Harry would have a change of heart and finally set them loose on the know-it-all.

"This is important! I've been looking into it all year. That's probably why you boys were able to beat me on a couple subjects." At this Hermione gave a look of annoyance. "There just is no other possible way for that to happen."

"Honestly. Do you even hear yourself speak? Do you realize how rude you are being to everyone day after day after day?" Harry was sporting an extremely annoyed look himself now. "We're not going anywhere with you after a statement like that. Release Neville and find someone else to talk down to."

"But!"

"No." Harry interrupted her flatly then turned back towards the lake where the twins were sitting in mimic of "The Thinker." The girl wisely chose not to push her luck, and that was the end of that.

A few days later, Hogwarts was awash in rumors that Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley were in the hospital wing due to some serious injuries she and the redheaded prat had received after ignoring the warnings and entering the corridor of death on the third floor. Harry and Neville were counting their blessings that they hadn't followed her themselves. Though, Harry did catch the Headmaster giving him the most disappointed looks during mealtimes… That was a bit odd. Professor Quirrell also suspiciously vanished around the same day. That man had always been very strange in Harry's opinion.

"What could have possibly possessed her to go there?" Neville gave a confused shake of his head. "She seems like such a smart girl…"

"No idea."

 _****Flashback to a Week Earlier****_

Harry was nursing yet another headache as the end of the 'Defense Against the Dark Arts' class period crept nearer. It happened repeatedly and by now he was at the end of his ropes on dealing with this class and its professor. If the headaches _during_ class weren't enough, he had also recently started having very disturbing dreams about Professor Quirrell. After waking up from one involving the stuttering, clumsy man drinking the blood of a unicorn, Harry had wondered if his imaginative side had finally spilled over the deep end into madness. Now with a head that apparently wanted to self-implode, Harry was in a _very_ bad mood.

"P-p-ple-plea-se t-t-t-t-turn in an ess-s-s an es-s-say a-b-b-bout the defeat of a dark object or person. Mr. P-potter p-perhaps you could enlighten us to your own story of survival? If you wish to discuss anything, feel free to stop by my office after class. After all, the weak always find solace in the advice of the strong."

'What is this man even saying… Did he just imply I'm weak? Where the bloody hell did that come from? I'm at the top of my class! Wait...his stutter... Why would his stutter randomly stop like that? And he's been maintaining his 'I'm pathetic, don't mind me' mask for the entire year. Suddenly he just drops it and wants to be a respected advisor?'

"Of course, professor." Harry's faying nerves finally snapped and he slammed his book down on his desk. Quirrell's eyes flashed red for a moment and Harry was on his feet and to the door with in the same instant.

'I'm not gonna take it

No, I'm not gonna take it

I'm not gonna take it anymore…'

'Oh you're so condescending.

This ache is never ending.

I don't want nothin', not a thing from you.

My life is trite and jaded

Boring and suffocated.

If that's your best, your best won't do.'

'This really is quite bad, Little Lord. My own head is aching through the bond. I'm glad we left. Have Neville turn in your essay and beg off sick. This will be the last time we see him outside the Great Hall. That sounded more like the spider inviting the fly to his parlor, than a professor inviting a student to his office.' EmberLight mentally insisted.

'Agreed. There is something seriously wrong with that man.' It would be a few years before Harry learned just how right his statement was.

 _****Back to the Present****_

"Well, let's head out. Did you manage to pack your Devil's Snare?"

"Yep. I ordered a four compartment trunk with linked bag from your magi-carpenter last month. One of the compartments is a small greenhouse. I'll be able to take it back and forth no problem now that I've found a safe way to make the tentacle vines retract." Neville gave his trunk a fond pat. "I'm ready if you are."

With that, they headed off towards the carriages. Year one at Hogwarts had been a delightful success. Harry softly hummed to himself as he observed the other passengers. On his lap rested his first dragon familiar, and on his shoulder his second dragon familiar watched everything through unblinking eyes. At his side sat his brother and Warlord. Across from him sat Toil and Trouble who were in the midst of conspiring some sort of mischief.

'Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye

Na na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye.'


	7. Ch 6: The Prince Traps His Heir

Thanks again for all the comments you guys left! A special big thanks to my man for editing my story even though you're not a big reader! :)

To set your mood for this chapter I recommend listening to 'Icarus' by Mythos or 'Now We Are Free' by Hans Zimmer & Lisa Gerrard (Gladiator Soundtrack).

Definition: Flush - drive a bird or animal from it's cover

"Conversation"

'Internal Monologue'

~Dragontongue~

[Action]

Chapter 6: The Prince Traps His Heir

The wind whipped the dark ocean below into a frenzy of crashing waves. The tall white 'Cliffs of Insanity' rose high above the lashing sea. The world was wrapped in a mist that made short distances seem mysterious and long distances seem mythical. It was the sort of evening that would cause all sane creatures to tremulously hide in their homes, be it den or house. Yet, in the middle of this wild and breathtaking summer storm, three winged lords stubbornly stayed aloft. Eagerly they accepted the winds' challenge. They were not afraid. Why would they be? This was their dominion and the winds were their feisty vassals, or a better description would be mounts. Yes, they rode the different gusts and winds in oblivious delight, never considering the terrible death that could await them upon the cliffs below. The leader took his followers on a crazy dance composed of terrifying dives and then large swooping loops taken at uncontrollable speeds and angles. Laughter wove throughout the roars of the elements. It was a sight to behold, if any other creature had been foolish enough to venture out to witness it, surely they would be in awe of them. Unfortunately for the three, there was such a stranger standing alone, basking in the spray drifting up from the the waves crashing beneath him and the spatter of of rain angrily trying to drive him back to cover.

"Now what do we have here...Hm… Interesting. " After a few more minutes of careful scrutiny, the man turned back towards the town and warm inn that was waiting for him. The tall blonde had much to ponder and little time to follow through on any plans he might make. There simply wasn't any more time to waste on the euphoric feeling of the summer's siren storm.

 _****Flashback to One Week Prior****_

EmberLight, Atlas, Norstra, and Harry were all gathered together in the Getaway Tower of Hogwarts. This was a secret meeting that was to decide their summer residency. The two dragons were in their true form and size on each side of the small coffee table that stood in front of the couch Harry sat on. Norstra stood on an open book that was spread across the pieces of furniture and all four of them were reading in silent consideration. The book before them was the Pendragon Family Grimoire.

* * *

 _Time Witnessing of the Dragon Lords_

 _(You must be a dragontongue in order to cast this spell. If you're not one, do not attempt. Though you shouldn't be able to read this in the first place if you don't speak...)_

 _Components:_

 _Fragment of a Dragon Egg that was laid in the time period you wish to witness._

 _(This will provide the anchor for the spell.)_

 _Dragon breath willingly given from the dragon that hatched from the same Dragon Egg._

 _(This will provide life to the spell.)_

 _Any available Druid Stone Circle_

 _(This will provide spacial limits to the spell.)_

 _Incantation:_

" _Time is not what time is now, let me see from past the how._

 _Fire breath and egg direct, where our starts intersect._

 _Here within the circle lays, all things for the time display._

 _May my word of tongue be known, as the word of tongue unknown._

 _Let _ suns end in fiery burn, before the witness shall return."_

 _While standing in the center of a Stone Circle holding the shell fragment, chant the incantation three times in unison with the dragon. After the last word is spoken, the dragon will breathe it's fire on the shell fragment and the spell will activate. Do not move during the duration of the spell._

 _*I, Dragon Lord Chronos, Seventh Ruler of the Dragonkin, was gifted this spell by Lady Luck in order to witness the hidden past and learn from it. Be warned, Lady Fate and Lord Death are not lenient with those that meddle with time._

* * *

Finally Harry sat back and opened the discussion. "This spell is an feasible escape option. On the up side, the incantation seems simple enough and I'm a dragontongue, so no issues there. I also saved the egg from you, EmberLight, so the necessary components of your fire breath and shell fragment are already covered. On the down side, we wouldn't know anything of the time we would land in, nor would we have anything but what we brought on us. Language, customs, gold, food… how would we survive?"

"We have your trunk, and we could stop by Gringotts and the food storage house before we leave." EmberLight was obviously for using the spell. "The odds of your family catching you out with all three of us and hurting you are enormous." The dragon gave a shudder, "There is absolutely no way either Atlas or I could sit by and let them hurt you. If we were to show ourselves and defend you, we'd risk the magicals discovering our existence and trying to take us away from you. Simply put, I don't think we should ever return there at all, by any means necessary. We won't allow you to be separated from us, so don't even try to offer that as a solution."

"They left us alone most of the remainder of last summer," Harry argued, "You only knew about the...you know… because I was still healing when you hatched and you smelled it on me."

"Odds are they have gotten over their fear." Atlas finally spoke up in his deep rumble. "From what you both told me, they knew you were magical all along and still weren't afraid to abuse you. When you finally found out you were magical and not a… freak, they were cautious in fear of your retribution, especially after having experienced Hagrid's little prank. However, you yourself have never done anything to them in vengeance, nor were you able to stop them when they harmed you in the past. They will know that you can't always be vigilante. They are more in number than you and are all bigger than you physically. The fear of magic can only do so much against the hate of magic. After all, the hate is fed by the fear, so naturally the hate will end up being stronger. History is full of witch burnings by the supposedly weaker humans. This is a fact those silly snakes forget."

"Bravery and power in numbers, right." Harry sighed but nodded in understanding. Whereas EmberLight had always considered herself as Harry's emotional support, Atlas had been determined in his need for knowledge in order to support the Dragon Lord. The cottage in Harry's mindscape had a library containing mental copies of every book Harry had ever read. These books were carefully explored by the little dragon ever since his familiar bond had settled. Now, he was often sought out for the wisdom he had gained from his endeavors and was a trusted advisor despite his youth.

"We could still just live out of my trunk for the summer in some random alley in some small town." Harry pointed out. "We don't have to time travel to get away from my relatives. It's not like they'd report me missing."

"No they probably wouldn't. But if we're going to be staying in your trunk the whole summer, why not stay in your trunk in an interesting time period? I bet the era when I was laid is so much more interesting and simple than now." EmberLight's voice gave away her eagerness. "I bet you don't have to worry about laws for dragons and all that rot! We could fly around to our heart's content in our true forms!"

"You just want to go on an adventure because you've been cooped up all year," Harry accused EmberLight.

"Can you blame us for wanting to stretch our wings?" The young dragon gave an entreating look at Harry.

"Ember, there's still the possibility that your egg was laid during a war period for Albion. You're egg was very old after all. It very well could have been that your parents were from King Arthur's time." Atlas cautioned.

"And who wouldn't want to meet the legendary King Arthur!" EmberLight snorted smoke at the younger dragon angrily. "I will remind you that _He_ was our Dragon Lord as well!"

"Yes he was, and before he brought peace, he lived a time of war! In addition we have no idea how long we'll be gone for or even if time will pass in the present while we are spending time in the past!" Atlas gave a low growl of warning that made EmberLight stop to reconsider things for a moment.

"Actually, I think the blank in the incantation is for you to insert the number of days you want to witness before coming back to the present." Harry was once again bent over the book where Norstra was pointing out the gape between the words. "Really even if time doesn't pass here while we're 'witnessing' the past it wouldn't really be a problem… We'd just have to figure out a Plan B like we always do."

"If it's a time of war, we'll just take our Little Lord and go to some uninhabited island or something. It'll be fine." EmberLight threw in her last opinion.

"Sooo…. Meet King Arthur? Yes or no." Harry closed the discussion and declared the vote now in session.

"Let's meet the King!" EmberLight cheered and Norstra flitted back and for excitedly.

"Let's make a Plan A, B, and C, just in case." Atlas drawled.

"Let's get to work." Harry agreed. They were leaving tomorrow morning on the Hogwarts Express and had been tossing around ideas off and on for the last few months. Now it was time to bite the bullet and actually actively commit to a specific "Escape the Dursley's & Survive the Summer Plan."

 _****Back to the Present****_

Harry was riding Atlas with EmberLight flying slightly behind him and to his right. Norstra was taking a nap in his hair. Atlas' breed was much larger than Ember's so even though he was half a year younger than her, he already was the size of a normal horse when he was in his true form. In all honesty, they were all extremely tired. The storm they had played around in yesterday evening had finally subsided just before dawn. After finally ceding the winds their final victory, the three had taken refuge in a shallow cave nestled near the base of the white cliffs of Dover. After morphing back to human from the dragon form he'd been flying around in, Harry threw some half hearted drying and warming charms at himself and his familiars. After that, he had crashed on top of the two dragons at the far back corner of the cave that barely kept them safe from the ocean spray. Around noon they'd been rudely awakened by the feeling caused by the presence of an ancient being. None of the younglings had any idea what the being was or if it was friend or foe. All that passed through their minds was the instinctual 'We've got to go. Now!' Go they did. Harry climbed on Atlas, and they quickly slipped out of their vulnerable hiding place to retreat towards the north, unconsciously seeking the only home and relatively safe place they had ever known, Hogwarts.

Much to their distress, the presence that flushed them out seemed to be doggedly following the same path they had chosen. When Harry had finally calmed his fight-or-flight response, his brain recommended a more tactical response of zig zag to shake off possible predators. With that in mind they had turned inland looking for the cover of a forest or deeper cave. Unfortunately, it only took a few minutes to realize that was not a good plan. Far below them the miniature farms and villages they passed revealed terrified people running around and pointing at the sky.

'We need a plan! Now!' Harry thought desperately to his companions.

'Working on it, Little Lord.' Atlas swooped a bit higher and into the cover of a passing cloud.

'We've been here all of a what? 24 hours? Why is it still there!? Is it actually following us!?' Harry was admittedly panicking. Who could blame him? He was completely out of his element. After throwing caution to the wind and performing the Witnessing spell, he was seriously doubting their collective sanity. Now, they were actually in the past. What did they choose to do? Try to catch pneumonia then get chased by some unnamed predator within the first 24 hours of their arrival. Alright, so maybe they were to blame for their current predicament just a tiny bit.

While the children were in full panic mode, the man who had watched their antics the night before was enjoying himself immensely. After noting his prey's attempt to lose him, he calmly sent his two companions to start herding them back on the desired course. He was a master huntsman himself and his advisor (who happened to be the most brilliant strategist he'd ever met) was by his side. The length of the chase was the only question, not the ending. He **always** caught his prey. After flushing the young dragons out using his own familiar's ancient aura, the man had set the course to drive his already weary prey towards the final destination, Camelot.

'Norstra! Do you think you could make us invisible for a few minutes?' Harry sent her a desperate plan in the form a single page of notebook paper flying up from his mind's basement. (This was where he kept his creative thinking and miscellaneous information in a potion lab. Across the hallway was a dueling chamber where he kept his muscle memory and battle/escape strategies.)

'Yes! Atlas, stay in the clouds just a moment longer. Everyone stay close I'm going to have to do this one at a time, so EmberLight, Harry, then Atlas.'

'After she does that, everyone head straight down to that patch of woods just ahead of us. I want all of us to use the metamorph ear-cuffs as soon as we land! Blend into the forest! Ready?'

'Yes!' Echoed three voices through the shared mindscape.

'3-2-1, Now!'

Where once a small dragon (about the size of a large dog) had been desperately flapping its tired wings, now there was nothing to be seen. Quickly, the other dragon who was carrying a small child followed its partner's disappearing act. Someone who had very sharp eyes would have seen the last member of the flock flit out of sight with one final beat of it's brightly colored wings. What was a butterfly doing with that bunch? All this happened in within the time span of nine seconds. Their pursuers hesitated. Shock passed briefly over the leader's face before his eye's closed in concentration.

 **~Do not dare to hide from me dragons! Show yourselves, now! Your Dragon Lord commands you.~** His glowing eyes snapped open to peer around with sharp attention. The future King of Albion finally revealed his full authority as a Dragon Lord and Prince. All residents of the country knew only King Uther or his son could speak dragontongue.

~Not bloody likely! Stop following us! We belong to the Little Dragon Lord and no one else!~ The answer was faint and higher-pitched than expected. Prince Arthur let his lips curve into a smirk. Whatever stunt his prey had pulled might have worked but for that one revealing reply.

"Pull back and regroup. They're taking to ground." Advisor Knight Percival called out from his position further up and to the right of the Prince. At Arthur's nod of confirmation his knight and three dragons spiraled to dive back towards land.

'Now let's see what you have to say for yourself, my little dragon thief.' Dragon Lord Prince Arthur grimly mused to himself as he once again reached out to feel for the position of the two unfamiliar dragons' young auras.

In the meantime, Harry's little flock had landed in the designated patch of trees. Before flickering back into view they had morphed their forms with the last of their energy. Atlas had changed into a plump brown squirrel and had quickly ducked into a small hole in a tree he had spotted upon landing. EmberLight had turned into a cute little black bear cub. Within a few moments she tumbled into a nearby hollowed out tree trunk that was laying across the forest floor. Harry on the other hand, had changed into an hawk he'd seen once resting in a tree at the park down the street from the Dursley's. Norstra was buried deep in his feathers trying to disappear from view while Harry perched on a higher tree branch. Hopefully he'd remain unnoticed but still be able to keep his two familiars within view (or at least their hiding places). Where their chosen forms had come from was anyone's guess. The brain will sometimes make the most unusual decisions when put under duress, pulling from deep within the archives of the subconscious and instinctual recess of our mind.

After waiting in tense fear for a little over half an hour, they finally relaxed and started to doze off. They were almost comatose with fatigue from their late night and then their mad dash. Whatever had been following them had apparently moved on so their defenses and alertness slowly dissipated. A couple of hours later, their pursuers finally started to make their move after carefully narrowing down where the young dragons' unmoving auras flickered in exhaustion. With the ancient dragon's aura carefully concealed, Prince Arthur and company had formed a circle around their unsuspecting prey and were now slowly tightening it, cutting off any escape routes.

After they had waited patiently for their targets to give into their need for sleep, it was finally time to move for the capture. However, they were in for a surprise when they made their final approach to where the dragons' restful auras glimmered. There were no dragons in sight. No child was curled up asleep on the forest floor despite the obviously powerful yet immature magical core they could now easily feel.

Harry and his familiars might have managed to escape their fates that day. They were so close to being passed unnoticed by their pursuers who stalked beneath them and around them in silent contemplation. But these hunters were no amateurs. Indeed, they were arguably the greatest hunters this world had ever seen. Together, the Prince and his Advisor were beyond brilliant; they were utterly ruthless and relentless. So, it wasn't long till the advisor dropped to a knee and peered into a hollowed out fallen tree trunk.

"There is a bear cub in here...but it has the aura of a dragon, Sire." Percival spoke softly.

"Cast a strong sleeping spell on it. Selah, take her to Camelot and wait for me. Be sure not to let her wake before we arrive." The dragon who had accompanied her Dragon Lord without a rider on her back gave a dip of her head in understanding as Percival carefully lifted the cub out of it's hiding place. After clutching it protectively close to her chest, Selah lept into the air and was gone with two beats of her massive wings.

~The other dragon seems to be in this tree, my Dragon Lord.~ A quiet rumble crossed the short distance between the ancient dragon and the Prince. Quietly Arthur reached up and into a small hole in the tree withdrawing his arm revealing a large squirrel curled up in slumber. A ring on Arthur's hand glowed briefly as he cast a spell to make sure the dragon slept on.

"Percival, take this one and head back. I think I know where our little thief is hiding." With a soft whoosh of air Arthur was left alone to finish the hunt. He gave a smirk as he looked up into the tree branches above his head. Then with a few softly said words he cast his spell.

Harry woke with a start as his unfamiliar body teetered off balance. When he spread his arms/wings in an attempt to catch himself he found them unable to expand fully. His now alert eyes finally focused on his surroundings through the bars in front of him… The… bars?

"Hello there little Merlin." Harry snapped his head in the direction of the unfamiliar voice.

'Well crap.' Was all his sleep muddled brain could offer him as he stared into sharp blue eyes that promised he wouldn't be escaping anytime soon.

"I know you're the child who stole the dragons. I've already returned the dragons to Camelot where they belong." Arthur spoke in a cold authoritative tone. In reply Harry just stared at him for a moment before cocking his head to the side and peering around the area in search of his familiars… who weren't there. Harry went into high alarm and started beating his wings fruitlessly against the bars of the cage Arthur had transfigured around him. In response, Arthur cast a spell that paralyzed his body making him go limp on the bottom of the cage. All Harry could do was watch helplessly as the man who had chased him down plucked him from his cage and dropped him on the forest floor. "Return to your true form. Now."

Harry hesitated a moment as he stared up at his captor. This position of complete helplessness was distinctly and horrifically familiar. A particularly cruel session 'Harry Hunting' by his cousin Dudley flashed through his mind and was quickly followed by a memory of his Uncle backhanding him after a bad day at work. He felt his mind slowly shut down as he slipped on the familiar Ghost Freak set of clothes. His form morphed to the usual messy black hair and small, slender body. With eerily empty green eyes, Harry returned the gaze of his new captor. Arthur stepped back in surprise. The look in the child's eyes was unexpected after watching the boy fly with such stubborn abandon just a few hours before. The stubborn mind that had forced itself out of blind fear in order to try to outwit his pursuers was nowhere to be seen. The Prince gave a frown as he took in more of the boy's appearance. Unfamiliar clothing, too small of a body to be paired with such a strong magical core...little red flags were quickly popping up in Arthur's mind and were just as quickly stashed for further review later that night.

"What do you have to say for yourself? Beware of answering me with a lie. I am Dragon Lord Prince Arthur, and I do not treat liars gently. The theft of the Royal Line's dragon eggs is punishable by death. At least one of the dragons you had with you had the distinct aura of a descendant of Loch here." Arthur patted the side of the Ancient Dragon who had remained behind with him. He had the ebony hide with fiery scales scattered over it just like EmberLight.

'Harry? Harry! Now's not the time to be Ghost Freak! Now you have to get your familiars back!' Norstra's alarmed voice echoed through Harry's mindscape desperately. 'Remember Harry! Nevermore! They're asleep in the cottage and I can't wake them up! You have to do something!'

Suddenly Harry's eyes flashed back to life as his mind's wardrobe choice changed drastically. That's right, he was not alone anymore. He couldn't hide behind the Ghost Freak facade to protect himself. He had to take care of others just as they cared for him. He needed something more than the casual Evan Jameson set...more than humble Harry Potter The-Boy-Who-Lived. The personality clothing set Harry called into being was dubbed his Lord Hadrian Peverell set and he would use it whenever he needed a guardian/adult persona instead of the child he really was. Harry quickly organized his mind's wardrobe and created a list showing different personality traits and their corresponding articles of clothing. Then he organized the clothing into their different sets. All this happened in the space of one minute.

* * *

 _Ghost Freak_ _(use for Dursley household): Faded too-big t-shirt (silent), ripped up jeans (total apathy), duct taped trainers with a hole in one of the toes and the soles peeling back (autopilot)_

 _Evan Jameson_ _(use for close acquaintances/_ _ **base personality traits/articles of clothing used in all other sets as needed**_ _): Brown beret (laid back), grey zip up hoodie (apathetic towards society),_ _ **dark green t-shirt (knowledgeable/bookworm)**_ _,_ _ **medium blue jeans (reclusive)**_ _,_ _ **black pants (survivalistic)**_ _,_ _ **white socks (distrust)**_ _, brown leather sneakers (curious),_ _ **wand (protective of what is his)**_

 _Harry Potter The-Boy-Who-Lived_ _(use for Hogwarts & Magical World): Ravenclaw Tie (Confident), dark red dress shirt (leader/alpha), black school robes (self-sacrificing/humble)_

 _Lord Hadrian Peverell_ _(use for adult-necessary situations): Black trench-coat styled wizard robe (cunning), dark red dress shirt (leader/alpha), black leather boots (logical), sword (wrath)_

* * *

"You found us. Inconceivable. They're mine. My familiars. We're fully bonded. You can't take them away from me… Give them back." Harry's voice was cold as ice and his green eyes glared with unconcealed rage. Accidental magic flowed forcefully out of his core in attempt to throw off the other man's spell.

'Now that's more like it,' Arthur mused to himself as he observed the change in the boy's eyes and recast the paralyzing spell. "Impossible. Only a Dragon Lord can form a familiar bond with a dragon, and only the royal line has the family magic to become a Dragon Lord. You don't look anything like me or my father, little boy. Try again. How did you steal the dragons?"

~They are mine and I am theirs. You can't part us. It is illegal to break a familiar bond.~ Harry growled out while quickly racking his mind's library for more viable information he could use to his advantage. The man above him reeled back in shock.

~You speak?~ Prince Arthur's mind quickly started processing different possibilities concerning the child lying on the forest floor. Another plan formed quickly. ~Perfect. You're coming with me. Turn back into the merlin.~

~No. Return my dragons to me. We're leaving.~

~Oh no you're not. You're going to be staying with me for the foreseeable future. Now change or I'll just transfigure you into a pigeon and you can carry all my letters for the rest of your life… That's actually not a bad idea.~ Arthur raised his hand threateningly.

~...I'll change...~ Harry's glare and snarl would have raised the hair on the back of a lesser man's neck. He slowly morphed back into the hawk, or merlin as he now knew it to be, that he'd been before. What else could he do in this situation? He was completely helpless and outmatched. He'd have to wait patiently for the chance to find his dragons and then escape.

~Good boy.~ Arthur quickly swept him back into the cage he'd first caught him in. The size of the bird cage would make it impossible for Harry to change back until he was released again. (Arthur, of course, was assuming the merlin was Harry's animagus form as he knew nothing about metamorph ear-cuffs and the possibilities they offered.)

Much to Harry-Merlin's chagrin, he fell asleep on the way to wherever Arthur was taking him. Could anyone really blame him? There hadn't been anything to do dangling from where his cage hung on the dragon's harness. The constant rocking motion of the flight had finally lulled him back to sleep as his mind and body finally won over his previous short adrenaline rush. It felt like he'd just shut his eyes when Arthur woke him up again.

"Wake up Merlin. Look and behold the beautiful city of Camelot. Capital of the Land of Albion. Home of my father King Uther."

Harry could only stare in absolute shock. 'I knew. It was in the goblin blood test, but still, I just never really comprehended… It's… It's hogwarts!' There, rising gracefully before the Prince in all her towering glory was Camelot, a newer fresher looking Hogwarts. There could be no mistaking it. He couldn't help the soft coo that escaped him upon seeing his beloved school.

Arthur glanced down at the bird and a look of surprise crossed his face before he refocused on his upcoming confrontations with his father, his wife, his half sister, and let's not forget the little bird himself. Though, the bird would wait until everything was already sorted out so as to avoid as much of a struggle as possible. That being the decision the famous Prince Arthur had come to, it would be a week before Harry found out the new plans involving his life.

 _****One Week Later****_

Harry was perched on a branch in his cage by the window of Arthur's bedroom. It was getting late in the day and he was watching the sunset in a gorgeous display of crimsons and golds. Harry gave a soft trill as he tried to stretch his wings a bit. Once again he was frustrated when they were restricted from opening to their full wingspan.

"I suppose I should tell you your new life's purpose." Came a smug voice from the door. Harry refused to deign the prat with so much as a glance. "Now now, don't give me that attitude. Why don't you turn into that minature version of yourself so we can talk face to face?" A day into captivity, Harry had tried to escape his cage by morphing into a human but he kept his size small. He'd been about the height of a man's hand. Unfortunately, the bars to the cage must have been charmed to resize to whatever was placed in it because they had tightened together so he couldn't slip through and there was no door to try to unlock. Arthur had entered the room while he was trying to figure out a spell to open the bloody cage and had caught him in his tiny form. Even though Harry had withheld the 'how' of his new form, the prince now unfortunately knew he was capable of shapeshifting to more than one thing.

Harry snapped his beak in agitation before he finally morphed into his tiny human form. 'I cannot believe this royal prat is the great King Arthur of Camelot...what a load of rubbish. This just proves that history is written by the victors!'

"What do you want now? Where are my dragons?"

"You belong to me little Merlin. Best get used to your gilded cage, little bird." Arthur tapped the cage in question to drive the point home.

"You can't keep me here! You are an utter prat! I can't believe this! No one is going to remember you, I hope you know that." Harry hissed the lie through his teeth, "You have to be the worst king in history!"

"Well then I'll still be remembered then, won't I?" Arthur gave him a taunting smirk. "And here I came bearing you important news today. Perhaps I should just leave you in the dark?"

Harry coldly glared at him before answering. "You have my attention."

"Very well. I have decided to give you two options for your future. The first is that you will be my personal manservant. I'll keep your dragons as my own as there is no proof that you are fully bonded to them outside of what you say. As my servant you will get the privilege of bringing my meals, being my royal food taster to test for poisons, disposing of my privy pot, sleeping in my doorway as an extra guard, and serving as my target holder when I'm practicing my various weapon skills." By the end of this first option Harry was practically climbing out of his skin in indignant rage. "The second option is to be my heir. Your dragons will be returned to you as you clearly are a Dragon Lord by birthright and would obviously be able to bond with them. I will designate a suit of rooms to be at your disposal. You will also be the throne figurehead for my true son by Guinevere, who will be declared Camelot's Steward instead."

Harry just stared at Arthur in pure disbelief. "Are you insane? Did your royal head take one to many blows? Why in Merlin's name would…. Oh bloody hell! Am I Merlin? No that can't be right. Someone must have fed me some bad mushrooms. That's the only possible explanation for this insanity."

"About four years ago, when I had just turned 16, my half sister Morgana fed me a love potion, and I took her to bed. Needless to say, she bore a son from that time. She has long been angered at our father, King Uther, for not recognizing her as his child and a possible heir to the throne of Albion. Morgana blames her inability to speak dragon tongue on father as well as her low social status as a bastard child. In retribution, she planned on her son, Mordred, taking up the throne upon my death. Thereby destroying all the restrictions and wrongdoings father forced on her life. However, I refuse to name her child my heir. Mordred is not only a child born out of a forced love potion in an incestious union, but he also can only speak parseltongue, not dragontongue. I will not allow such a child to sit on the throne. When I made my position clear and had married Guinevere, Morgana realized her plan would fall to nothing. In an attempt to force Mordred's claim to throne she cursed any heir I should name besides Mordred to die before producing his own heir or within the first three years of his rule, whichever came first. That's where you come in."

"Why you overgrown, manipulative piece of rubbish! You want to kill me off!?" Harry staggered back to the other end of the cage. "You're unbelievable."

"No. I don't plan to kill you off. You see, Harry Potter, I had several long chats with your familiars this week." Harry's eyes jerked up to meet Arthur's. For the first time trepidation was clearly showing in the bright green orbs. "Yes, I know that you are a 'Time Witness.' If you truly do leave again in 53 days as planned, you have nothing to worry about. The curse would only kick in if you ruled here in this time, which you won't. Even if you stayed, my son would be the one truly ruling as the Steward, as I said before. Now, if you somehow produced an heir while being here in the past, then I don't know what exactly will happen, though the simplest fix would be to just not declare him an heir just as I'm doing with my own child. However, as you are only 11 years old I hardly think that is something you need to concern yourself over. Unless, of course you continue to keep returning to witness the past. In which case you could possibly produce an heir in a few years willingly or not, as I am a testament to. However, I don't think we should worry about that until such an event actually happens."

"How could you possibly know that her curse won't kick in during my time!? The curse, as far as I can tell, is attached to the heir….ME! Not to the time."

"Well from what I've been told you don't intend to take up kingship in your time either, so what's the problem?"

"Problem? The problem is that it's my birthright! I'm the heir in my timeline whether I take up the throne or not. And no one will inforce on me to be or not to be the king! It will be my decision alone! I most certainly won't commit irrevocably to **not** being the king just to suit your needs. What if something unforeseen happens in my future where I'll need to take up the throne but I won't be able to because it would be the same as writing my own death warrant?"

"Touche. You are wiser than I gave you credit for." At Harry's annoyed look Arthur further clarified, "I meant for your age. Your cunning I already saw. If you hadn't already been exhausted I'm sure you could have forced me to hunt you for many more days. Well in answer to your earlier question, the curse is bound to 'Arthur Pendragon's Heir' according to Morgana's wording. In your own timeline I'm assuming you are your father's heir not mine. Understand?"

"That's a gamble at best. My father was not king. As far as I know he wasn't a dragontongue speaker so he may not have inherited the Dragon Lord title which is the only thing linking me to kingship."

Arthur sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose in mild irritation. "Very well, I can see you won't lightly agree to this. I have a plan. I wasn't going to enlighten you with it until I had legally bound you as my heir but now I see it's necessary, and you will be my heir in the end no matter what you decide, so it's neither here nor there. After I name you my heir and my own son the Steward of Albion I will enact a decree stating that any future king of Albion, beyond my own heir, will receive his kingship upon the discovery of his ability to perform Dragon Magics and the death of the prior king. Stated in this way, there are no legal heirs, only kings and 'kings-in-waiting' so to speak."

"What if there are more than one child that can speak? What if I keep returning here, as you claimed could be a possibility, and I had a child and your son had a child and they both could speak?"

"I should hope they would be able to."

"Don't even!" At this point Harry knew he was grasping at straws. During Arthur's proclamation of his oh-so-great-plan, he had pulled up his memory of his inheritance test and found the item of interest: _Title: Dragon Lord (in-acted if dragon magic is found in a descendant), gives magical kingship over Magical Britain._ Well what do you know. It looked like accepting his position of king had never been an option at all. He was the king. The real decision was if he would take up the throne publicly and actually rule. He could be a runaway king as he already was.

"Yes, yes. I see what you're getting at." Arthur sighed. His Merlin was such a stubborn little bird. "Shall I designate an 'oldest first' law or possibly a tournament to prove potential kings' worth? On a side note, I would try to abstain from dropping off offspring randomly throughout history. That sort of thing could do unknown damage to the timeline."

"Inconceivable. I'm not going to go slutting myself through history." Harry's green eyes flashed with a vicious fire that the prince found positively exciting. This child, Merlin, would be so much fun to have around. That's for sure.

"You keep saying that word…"

"I'll remember this. I'm not anyone's pathetic pawn. I'll come back and take your kingdom and pull it to pieces just to spite you." Harry interrupted him. He was glowered threateningly and paced back and forth, looking more like a caged tiger than an eagle. That last threat had gotten the arrogant prince's attention.

"If you dare…"

"Oh! What will you do? Hm? Come back from the dead and put me back in here?" Harry practically snarled.

He may not be interested in being a king, but over his dead body would he bow his neck like a slave to anyone else's whims. Never again. But, acknowledging his inheritance was his decision. No one would be making it for him! If he wasn't willing to claim the throne in his own time he sure as heck wouldn't be ruling in the past! Not that Arthur planned for him to rule, but the odds of Harry ever playing figurehead were slim at best. He had been born an alpha, as all true kings are, even if he chose to walk his path alone. But he wasn't alone. Not anymore. He had his dragons and a fairy pixie. He had a Warlord named Neville. And he also had those twins too, sort of...maybe. Ha! Who needed a kingdom. He could just rule Hogwarts...that was actually Camelot...nevermind. 'Argh! This man makes me so angry it makes my head spin!' Not a servant. Not a heir. How on earth was he going to get out of this situation.

"I hate you." Harry leaned against the bars behind him while he contemplated his options.

"I don't blame you for that. Yet, you were a gift sent by Magic. You speak dragontongue and you're a time traveler. It's perfect. Mordred can only speak parseltongue so you clearly have a better claim to the Pendragon throne and the time travel will create a loophole in the curse. Please Harry." Harry looked up at the second use of his name and studied the prince's somber face.

"Before I give you my answer, I want to talk to my dragons. I want them with me. Whatever sleep you have forced on them outside of your little talks needs to be lifted. We do everything together. I won't make a choice without all of us agreeing it's the right move."

"Very well, I'll bring them to you." Arthur left immediately while Harry slumped to the cage floor.

'This was the worst Escape from the Dursley's Plan ever.'

'I agree. It has been just awful so far.' Norstra finally popped into view in front of him. 'Who would have thought such a renowned King would be such an utterly evil bad guy?'

'Indeed.' Harry agreed. 'Yet I do see his point a little bit. I can understand his choice to dump his curse on someone unknown over his own child, especially if I can escape the repercussions of the curse as easily as he says I can. But it sure irritates me that he's trapped me into complying with his wishes instead of talking to me about it. He even talked to EmberLight and Atlas before me.' Norstra just nodded in agreement.

'Harry, how is the egg?' Norstra quietly poked at where the small egg Harry had gotten in Diagon Alley the year before was stashed in some straw in the corner. He had started sleeping with it much as he had with Ember's egg the year before. As it was much smaller than EmberLight's egg, he also had kept it in his pocket ever since school ended. 'I think it's going to hatch soon. I have to take that into consideration as well. I can't let Arthur take the baby from me. I'm positive this is a dragon's egg. I looked it up in Hogwart's library and I think it's a dwarf dragon. That would explain the size of the egg as well... Quick hide it! They're almost here.'

EmberLight and Atlas burst through the door like small tornadoes. They quickly spotted Harry's bird cage by the window and were curled around it protectively within seconds.

~Little Lord are you ok!?~ Ember nosed at the bars in alarm.

~We've been worried about you.~ Atlas agreed as he clamped his jaw on part of the cage and tried to break the bars.

~I told you he was well taken care of. Is the word of the Dragon Lord not enough for you?~ Arthur growled at them. ~Look at him. He looks like one of those tiny dolls Morgana used to play with.~ Arthur gave a snicker and tried to poke at Harry threw the cage. Ember snapped warningly at his fingers.

"Yes, well you look just like a cactus." Harry took great delight in insulting Arthur with a word he had never heard of. Just seeing the frustrated scowl the Prince sported was enough to brighten Harry's day immensely. He wasn't vindictive...not at all.

'Hello! My name is Hadrian Potter. You stole my dragons. Prepare to cry!' In his mindscape Harry slashed his 'Sword of Wrath' threateningly while all his familiars gathered around him protectively.


	8. Ch 7: Kings to You, Potter

I forgot to clarify the new crossover status of this story in the last chapter. This crossover with the BBC Merlin is very loose. As you already have no doubt noticed, my version of the King Arthur will be different from tradition and the tv series, just like my spin on the Harry Potter series. Some things will carry over and some things won't. Oh! I don't own The Princess Bride which inspired a few quips from last chapter, nor do I own The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas.

"Conversation"

'Internal Monologue'

~Dragontongue~

[Action]

Chapter 7: Kings to You, Potter

* * *

 _Neville,_

 _Please meet me at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor at 2:30p.m. on August 31, 1992. I would like a chance to see you and find out how your summer went. Also, it seems that I have not received my school supply list for the new year, and I need to buy my supplies tomorrow at the latest as we leave for Hogwarts the day after. If you could bring a copy of your list with you, I would greatly appreciate it._

 _Yours,_

 _Harry_

 _P.S. I am disguised as Evan Jameson while in Diagon Alley. Look for a blonde with brown eyes. EmberLight likes to look like a squirrel when accompanying that form so you should be able to recognize me from that._

* * *

Neville let out a relieved breath after finishing the short note. Harry was ok and he'd be able to see him soon. All summer! He hadn't heard from him all blasted summer. Harry better have a good explanation. Neville had been worried sick. Still he had to give an amused chuckle at the way Harry worded his command, wish, and request all in one short paragraph. He was sure the summons was due to Harry truly missing him or else his King would have simply asked for the list via owl. Harry Potter was such an interesting study for Neville. Although his King had forcefully denied his rights to the throne, Harry still had moments where he couldn't be described as anything but royal. He summoned Neville as a king would summon his loyal subject; there was no doubt as to whether or not Neville would come. There was no doubt that Harry considered Neville his. It was the rest of Magical Britain that had to earn their King's interest and rule.

The Longbottom Heir calmly stood up from his desk after sending a happy Atlas (in owl form) back with his short affirmative reply to Harry's note. It was time to inform his Grandmother of the meeting. She had insisted on meeting the Potter Heir in person as soon as possible. However, Harry seemed to have disappeared off the face of the Earth right after the train ride back to London. So his grandmother had been forced to wait impatiently to meet the boy who had changed her little cowardly grandson into the stronger, wiser child she had picked up at the station. During the holidays last Christmas she had started to notice a bit of a difference in his straighter, more confident posture as well as his ability to finally look her in the eye. However, his letter concerning his wand had been quite the wake up call. Ever since that day she had begun to finally see Neville and not the child-who-wasn't-her-son.

He should probably double check to make sure he had packed everything he needed. Neville had done his shopping the week before and already had most of the supplies stashed in his trunk as well as the extra books he'd found in his family library that he wanted to show Harry. The hour per day he'd invested in developing his mindscape had greatly improved his memory, but he wasn't about to carelessly assume he hadn't forgotten anything. Not anymore.

 _****The Next Day****_

"Ha...Evan! Where have you been!? I tried to write you this summer, but my owls kept returning. Were you ok? I was worried about you." Neville stood up and physically pulled Harry to the table he'd been sitting at. Holding him by the arm, the Warlord checked him over for any visible injury. Harry smiled in amusement and patiently let Neville finish the inspection before taking a seat by the window overlooking Diagon Alley. Atlas gave Neville an energetic greeting in the form of a tiny owl hopping up and down on his shoulder while nipping at his ear occasionally. "Oh, before I forget, my grandmother wanted me to pass on her regrets that she couldn't meet you today. She had a Wizengamot summons today she couldn't ignore. However, she will be sending you an invitation to join us during this year's Christmas holidays so be sure to plan that into your calendar. In all honesty, she looked positively livid when the summons came this morning."

"I'm doing well. Please inform your grandmother that I'd be happy to join you as long as you don't mind me invading your 'family time'. As for where I was this summer, EmberLight took me to her 'Laying Time' which just so happened to be King Arthur's era. As you can understand, I was out of the owl's range." [dry chuckle] The squirrel that was wrapped around Harry's neck raised a sleepy head to give Neville a quick glance then she tucked her head back under his collar. Apparently she would not be partaking in this conversation.

"You are my brother, Harry. You know that. There is no 'family time' you could possibly not be welcome to join… You mean you actually traveled back in time?" Neville looked at him curiously.

"You don't seem too surprised."

Neville smiled softly at Harry. "I am. However, I also am not. You have been beyond the perceived laws of magic since you started reflecting killing curses as a baby. It must have been a journey you needed to take. Now, tell me about your summer. You look to be in good health, and your dragons seem settled and happy. Wait… is that what I think it is?"

"Mhm. This is Chaos my dwarf dragon. Chaos meet Warlord Neville Longbottom, Rider of Atlas." Harry casually waved his hand at the beautiful little hummingbird that was buzzing busily around his head. "It was a necessary journey, I suppose. You wouldn't believe it. I met Arthur… He's an utter prat! His arrogance would put Draco to shame! He decided, without my agreement mind you, to adopt me as his heir. When I tried to tell him that he was utterly ridiculous and that I absolutely wouldn't accept that decision, he told me I would either be his personal manservant or his heir. When I told him I'm his heir from the future and therefore couldn't be his heir in that time, he laughed in my face and said Lady Magic will do as Lady Magic wishes. As if he wasn't just doing as he wished! Time Witnesses aren't supposed to meddle! We're just supposed to WITNESS! I swear I'm still waiting to be struck down by lightning or something. What kind of King says that kind of thing under those circumstances. I have no idea how to handle that man!" Harry made a disgruntled face and sat back in his seat after casting a quick look out the window. Perhaps he was checking the skies for that bolt of lightning he had mentioned.

"Hm. Harry why don't we pick this back up when we get to Hogwarts, or on the train ride if we can get a compartment with just the two of us again? It sounds like a story I need to hear, but it also requires privacy."

Harry's head jerked around as he glanced hastily to see if anyone had been eavesdropping. "Right. I can't believe I blurted that out in a public place. Thank you Neville."

"Not a worry. No one is close at the moment, but that won't last. Your disguise is perfect by the way."

"Thank you. Let's get some ice cream. I also want to stop by and see Ethan. You remember that magi carpenter I told you about? Oh, did you bring the supply list…" And with that the boys moved on to less serious matters for the time being.

A couple hours later, the two boys were finishing up Harry's shopping list in the books shop. They'd been avoiding that store because of the obvious crowd waiting on some book signing or other. Harry hated being in tight places and Neville felt the same due a few negative memories involving his clumsiness and being bumped around. But alas, there was nothing for it but to finally venture into the throng of sharp elbows and high pitched squeals in search of their school texts. On the way in they passed a tall platinum blonde, richly robed man who must have been the gene donor of Draco Malfoy. Once inside they found this theory to be even more plausible as they watched the arrogant blonde take on the entire Horde of Redheads (otherwise known as Weasley's) on his own. Really, what kind of prat bashes into a small girl then starts smearing her and her family through the mud? Before either Harry or Neville could step in and help the girl pick up her things (which everyone else seemed to have forgotten) the blonde man swept in and picked up her books. Harry watched in point blank interest as the man slipped an extra book into the stack while adding his own cutting remarks to the conversation. He didn't even spare his own son from a well placed sneer.

'Did you see that?' Harry asked his familiars quietly in his mind's cottage. 'What was that all about I wonder?'

'I'm not sure, little lord. I think that book belongs to you though.' Chaos buzzed forward a bit then back next to Harry's right ear.

'Why would you think that Chaos?' Harry raised a doubtful eyebrow.

'It's magic feels a bit like a small piece of you does. I'm tired. Hummingbird wings take a lot of energy, little lord.' Chaos offered these pieces of insight before dive bombing Harry's black nest of wild hair. After the little dragon (still in hummingbird form) had perched comfortably on top of Harry's head with a wing flopped over a struggling pixie, he promptly went to sleep.

'Hm. I wouldn't have noticed that myself.' Atlas watched unblinkingly from Neville's shoulder for a moment or two. 'Chaos must be very magic sensitive to pick up on that so fast. He is correct.'

'WhadImiss?' EmberLight gave a sleepy yawn before going right back to sleep without another thought.

'Harry! Tell this little twit to let go of me!' Norstra gave a another frustrated yank on the little wing pinning her down. 'That's it! If you don't wake up right now I'm going to turn you gold and drop you in the middle of the stadium next quidditch match!'

'And how will you do that when you can't even budge his wing?' Harry gave an amused chuckle as he moved to start his book search. If the pixie really wanted free, she'd be free. He fully expected her to join the others in dreamland within a couple of minutes of being cuddled tightly to his latest familiar's side.

"I'm going to have to go after this, Neville. I had an appointment with the goblins this evening."

"Alright Harry."

 _****The Next Day at Platform 9 3/4****_

Harry glared fiercely at the barrier in Kings Cross Station. He had tried to walk through just like the year before, but this time he had calmly walked into a solid brick wall. Now he had a bump on his forehead and a bunch of familiars scrambling around his body and brain to show their alarm. Needless to say, he was no longer in a good mood and had an instant massive headache.

'Everyone stop moving right now!' Harry sighed in relief when all four voices finally stopped. He rubbed his forehead gently and tried to organize his panicked thoughts into something a bit more manageable. 'Any ideas on how the barrier closed?

'I have no idea what it's supposed to feel like, so I don't know. First time and all.' Chaos chimed helpfully.

'Norstra, can you open it up?' Harry questioned.

'Um… If you let me direct some of your magic… Yes! I can! Maybe!'

'Better not do that. Underage magic and magic in front of muggles are both illegal and could be grounds for expulsion.' Atlas intervened quickly.

'Ah yeah. Probably not a good idea then. What should we do then? It's almost time to leave.'

"Hello Sire. I've been looking forward to meeting you. Best come through with me. That bump looks rather painful, probably the work of a nargle." A demure voice broke through Harry's clouded mind. He quickly whipped around and found a young blonde girl with dreamy blue eyes staring up at him calmly.

"Right… The barrier's closed, so I don't think we'll be able to make the Hogwarts Express." Harry eyed the girl carefully.

'Did she just call me Sire? As in the 'Sire' Neville calls me?'

'Yes she did.' EmberLight was also inspecting the blonde from her usual perch on Harry's shoulder.

"Oh, I doubt the nargle will shut the barrier against us now, but if it does then dad will just have to take us to the platform by a different means. Right dad?" The blonde sedately took Harry's hand and turned expectant eyes on the man standing just behind her.

"Yes Luna, of course." The aforementioned 'dad' was an odd fellow to say the least. They both were. The girl was wearing radishes as earrings and necklace made up of what looked to be corks. The man was wearing an assortment of garish colors that the headmaster would certainly approve of. "I am Xenophilius Lovegood, and who might you be young man?" Mr. Lovegood leaned down to get a better look at Harry.

"I'm Harry. Nice to meet you." Harry purposefully left off his last name as usual.

"Alrighty let's get you through before you miss your train of destiny. Not that having you home another year would sadden me, my dear."

"I'm afraid that would negatively affect the future. But I agree that it wouldn't sadden me either, dad." Luna gave her father a docile smile and took his hand with her free hand. "Let's go then." With that the man pressed his hand against the wall. Harry felt a small flare of magic and then they were passing through the barrier like the bricks weren't even there.

"There we go. You best be off now. I'm sure you have many friends to catch up with." The little blonde release his captive hand and without ceremony turned around to say her farewells to her father.

"Right. Thanks. See you later." Harry gave her one last appraising glance before heading off to find Neville. When he found his Warlord, he was also treated to the haughty appearance of a certain blonde Slytherin who was trying very hard to get a rise out of Neville. However, Neville was just calmly sitting there listening to the childish rant.

Harry caught his eye over Draco's shoulder and gave a wink before drawling lazily. "How is the Heir of the **Foreign** House of Malfoy on this fine day?"

Draco spun around just in time to witness Harry's predatory smirk that had him stumbling over any other snide remarks he had prepared. Finally he pulled himself up and gave a sneer that was now easily recognizable as a knock-off version of his father's. "Potter. What sort of rubbish are you spewing? My father will hear about this. No one smears the Malfoy name and gets away with it!"

"Oh dear. Didn't you know? I'm sorry I didn't know they were keeping it secret from you. Perhaps it's a good idea to talk to your father about it. I certainly would want to know that sort of family information, especially as it can affect hierarchical standings in houses such as Slytherin." Harry gave Draco an innocently concerned look before letting his eyes sharpen. "It seems that you and I might need to have that little talk about the 'right sort of families' in the near future along with a discussion about the 'right sort of manners.' I know you're only 12, but an heir to an Ancient House, even if it is foreign, should hold himself with dignity when in the presence of those not considered close friends. Do I need to clarify the relationship level between you, Neville, and I?" Harry raised an expectant eyebrow.

A pale Draco stumbled back a step as if he'd been slapped. "No. Potter. What are you on about? You're just a half-blood Potter. How dare you take on airs with me. My father will hear about this! He won't allow your disrespect. You're in for it now, Potter." The boy was desperately trying to salvage his pride at this point.

Harry gave him one last appraising glance before giving a lazy shrug of his unoccupied shoulder. "You really shouldn't flaunt your insufficient knowledge like that. It will only cause you embarrassment later on. You know nothing about me other than 'what everyone knows.' I'll give you a tip, Draco. From what I have seen so far in my reading about myself and a few other topics of interest, wizards nowadays don't do much fact-checking before they pass on their knowledge in writing. From what I've heard, you're a smart boy. You challenged us last year for the top of the class along with Hermione. Time to use that brain of yours, Draco. I won't waste time on your childish taunts and tantrums anymore this year than I did last year… that goes for Neville as well. If you insist on keeping this deplorable personality, please direct it towards Ron. At least he seems to be your equal in that respect. See you in class." With that clear dismissal, Harry closed the compartment door and turned towards Neville with a genuine smile.

After staring at the now closed door in shock and confusion for over a minute, the gray-eyed blonde retreated quietly to his seat with his minions. He needed to go over that conversation carefully. A letter to his father was also on the todo list.

Inside the compartment, Neville had already settled Atlas on his shoulder and was giving Harry an expectant look. "Now then, Sire, tell me everything you are willing to share." Neville's eyes shown with a light Harry couldn't even begin to interpret.

'Little lord, you should probably change into your 'Harry Potter The-Boy-Who-Lived' outfit in your mind. Unless you want to keep 'Lord Hadrian Peverell' during the school year?' EmberLight tilted her head to the side questioningly.

'Ah! Bloody… Thank you Ember. I totally forgot. I was still dressed to take on Arthur. Poor Draco probably didn't even see that coming.' Harry shook his head in bemusement. 'Ah well. He probably needed to hear it at some point anyways.' Turning his attention back on Neville while he changed his personality-clothing, Harry sat back on the seat and gave him a considering look.

"Fine, but then you'll give me a full report on your own summer. Do I need to be concerned about that moronic uncle of yours still?"

Neville laughed. "No, you don't. But you go first." And Harry told him… He told him about the hunt, the ultimatum, and his constant power struggle with Prince Arthur. Why wouldn't he? This was Neville, and Neville belonged to him and he to Neville. Brothers bonded by dragon and magic, they would be together till the end.

 _****Flashback to a Fight with Prince Arthur****_

"You've got to be joking! Your father forbids the practice of magic by anyone not a Lord rank or above? What about the Knights? They do all the fighting and defending for you!" Harry stood in front of Arthur's desk. His stance screamed defiance and rage.

"You can only be a Knight if you are from the line of a Lord. Honestly, Merlin you pick the most ridiculous things to have a tantrum over."

"My. Name. Is. Not. Merlin. And you say I'm the ridiculous one? You are the one going around killing your own people for using the abilities they were born with. How dare you call yourself a Prince." Harry was growling and his eyes were flashing dangerously.

"Now Heir Pendragon, laws are there for a purpose. You make it sound as if the Prince goes about murdering people. Those missions haven't even been his responsibility in the recent years." Advisor Knight Percival tried to calm the atmosphere that had turned dangerously dark between the two Dragon Lords. "It is not your place to question Prince Arthur, let alone King Uther. That is treason."

Harry didn't even glance his way as he replied, "The difference between treason and patriotism is only a matter of dates."

Prince Arthur gave an exasperated sigh. "You are Merlin while you are **here**. Treason is punishable by death. My Advisor is right, you should stop thinking about this topic. Nothing you say will change the status quo."

"Are you threatening me? Do your worst, for I will do mine!"

"No! I swear you are impossible to deal with Merlin! I'm warning you!"

"And I am warning you. No good ever came by killing off citizens for having certain undesirable traits or abilities. It's barbaric. Your father will either cause magic to be lost to this land by killing off the beings who can wield it, or he will cause a massive uprising that will tear Albion apart and bring Camelot toppling down. Mark my words, Prince. You disappoint me." Harry spat his last attack out before spinning to march off with his two dragons on his heals.

The Prince rose from his seat in indignant fury to match the little heir. "Don't you dare walk away from me. The only reason you are alive right now is because father believes you to be my illegitimate son. If you continue spouting your mouth off, someone else will hear and take it to the King. If that happens, you will be beyond my reach. Do you want to die little bird?"

"If you continue down this path, someday, you will have to face Lady Magic. How will you justify killing all those she gifted her abilities to. What will you do? Do you intend to carelessly make an enemy out of her? From what I've read in your library, the Ancient Ladies and Lords do not appreciate their areas of rule being tampered with. You already are daring Lady Fate and Lord Death to do something about me as it is." The slamming of the door marked Harry's definitive end of the conversation.

"That has got to be the most frustrating, disrespectful boy I have ever met. For all his resisting the heirship because he's a 'Time **Witness** and isn't supposed to impact the era he visits', he is constantly arguing to change my mind on things... Though, I do need to think things through a bit more. Don't I." [drawn-out sigh] Prince Arthur sank back into the seat behind his desk tiredly.

"Yes, my Prince, I believe that may be wise. Causing the awaking of the Ancients would be disastrous beyond all imagination." The Prince's Advisor walked over to the window just in time to catch a glimpse of the new Heir weaving carefully through the busy courtyard below. "I get the feeling that child has never had an authority figure in his life that he was loyal to or respected. Occasionally he looks as if he's expecting you to lop his head off for accidentally knocking over a glass, then he'll turn around and reprimand the Prince of Albion. Strange child."

"Yes. I've noticed that too. It's not like I agree with the killings, but he's the King and my father…"

"Hm. Perhaps the two of you have much to learn from each other."

"How utterly frustrating. Have the cook prepare food with lots of brussel sprouts and tripe for dinner tonight. He seems to hate those." Arthur returned his attention to the paperwork spread out before him after that petty… no… vindictive command.

"Yes, my Prince." [soft sigh]

 _****Back to the Present****_

"Little Harry!"

"Little Eaglet!"

"We've been looking"

"All over for you!"

"And hello to the Longbottom"

"Lion cub as well!"

Toil and Trouble were hanging through the compartment door that had just burst open.

"Hello Toil and Trouble." Harry spared a small smile for them before returning his attention to the two familiars cuddled up on his lap. EmberLight had resumed her black kitten form for the school year. Little chaos had decided to keep the hummingbird disguise and frequently changed his brilliant colors, much to Harry's amusement. They all were crossing their fingers in hopes that no one noticed the "second" pet Harry had brought along. At the moment, Chaos looked like EmberLight's next meal from the way he was trapped between her front paws.

"We're just popping in to make sure you made it on the train ok."

"We, ourselves, were almost late to the station, as usual."

"When we get to Hogsmeade,"

"Wait in here for us."

"We'll escort you two,"

"Fine little Lords-to-be up to the Castle."

"Alright, we'll do that. Oh, and before I forget, here." Harry offered the twin redheads a couple of pieces of paper that had been folded up in his pocket. "You'll have to tell us about your summer later."

"That we will." Toil tucked the paper away in his pocket.

"See you in a bit." With that Toil and Trouble disappeared as abruptly as they had appeared.

Neville looked quietly at the closed door for a minute before turning back to Harry. "They really are amusing. It's like they consider themselves your body guards or something."

"Hm. What they decide on their own has nothing to do with me. They're fine to have around as long as they keep their pranks on the non-malicious side of life."

"Mhm. The trolley should be by soon. What are you getting?" And with that the conversation drifted off again to topics centered around legends and sweets.

 _****Flashback to another Fight with Prince Arthur****_

"Perhaps an afternoon in the stocks would teach you to bend that stubborn neck of yours." Prince Arthur was radiating anger like a forest fire radiates heat. "How many times do I have to order you to stay within the castle walls!? I did not put that tracking bracelet on you just for my own amusement, even if watching your failed attempts at eluding your studies is enjoyable. Merlin, I gave that order and forced you to wear the tracker so that you would be safe and protected! Morgana will no doubt find out about you being named my legal heir and will be out for your head, or worse, your blood. If she gets either, there is no telling what sort of horrors she would put you through for ruining her plans."

"People do not use swords in my time! It's a bloody waste of time and energy! And if you even so much as think of putting me in the stocks I'll…"

"You'll do what, Merlin? Right now you are sorely under-trained in both magic and combat skills. Your dragons are loyal but much too young to take on my own. Let's not mention the seasoned Knights I have at my command. I am the Prince of this castle Merlin. You can't touch me." Arthur threw his hands in the air in a sign of frustration. "Why must you fight me every step of the way? This order was for your own good. I was taking care of you as best I can!"

"Rubbish! No one takes care of me! In my entire life not one adult has EVER considered my wellbeing! You are just a selfish prat who is used to getting his own way. If you gave a rat's arse about what Morgana might do to me, you wouldn't have put me in this position in the first place!" Harry's dragons surrounded him on both sides. For a child, he made quite the intimidating figure as he and his familiars seared the Prince with death glares.

Suddenly Arthur's eyes snapped to Harry's pocket. ~You hatched another dragon? Show me.~

Harry's eyes widened in a rare show of true fear (not the smei-resigned, hunched-over look that his advisor had previously noticed). This was the wild-eyed look of desperate terror. The boy made a mad dash towards the door and managed to slip out before Arthur could cast the locking charm.

~I was just going to check it's health and breed… So that's what my little Merlin has been hiding. He's been nesting this whole time.~ Arthur mused quietly.

~What will you do, Dragon Lord?~ Loch's question rumbled from the balcony connected to the room Arthur was currently occupying. The ancient familiar was partly balanced on the small landing and partly draped over the railing with his claws dug into wall. Just his head was pushed through the double doors that opened to his perch.

~It seems that the only thing in this world that he truly cares about are his dragons. To get his immediate obedience, it would be easy to use them as leverage. Yet, I don't want to be seen as the 'Evil Wizard' by him, even if he is only a part of our lives for these 50 some days. He is so hard to handle. I rarely get the chance to know anything about him. Merlin is strong willed but fragile emotionally, young physically but wise mentally, and powerful magically but withdrawn socially. He desperately needs a father figure in his life to help guide and protect him. However, I'm afraid I might have ruined any chance that I might have at filling that roll. Not that I could. A parent figure should be someone who is an authority figure in the person's life. Someone they can come to at anytime with any need. I'm from a different era, not just a different city.~

~Do you know when he'll be leaving?~

~I doubt he's has more than ten days left of his Witness Time.~

~You threaten to put the lad in the stocks, but you also wish to guide and protect him?~ Loch let out a rumbling chuckle.

~It was to discipline him! He not only went outside the castle walls, but he also left Camelot. He was in the forest! Morgana could have easily captured him! He simply can't take those sorts of risks. He could have died Loch. If I have to throw him in the stocks for a few hours to get my point across and get him to obey orders, I'll do it.~

~Public humiliation for your Heir might be a little over the top, my Dragon Lord.~

~Well I'm not going to curse him or beat him. Sending him to his room might not drive home the seriousness of the situation.~

~I have the feeling putting him in the stocks would make him truly despise you, even if he obeyed you from then on.~ Loch pulled his head out of the doorway and leapt off his perch into the beautiful blue summer skies.

~You're right. Blasted Merlin. What am I to do with you?~ Arthur rubbed his head tiredly.

Later that evening, Prince Arthur slowly climbed the stairs up to the small tower suit of rooms which his little Merlin had claimed as his own. When he finally knocked on the door, he hesitated only a moment before pushing it open and stepping inside the main room. The boy he wished to see was balanced on the window seal across from him watching the sun paint the sky in bright colors.

"Merlin." The boy looked up with tired eyes. It seemed he too was finally wearing out after so many days of constant conflict. "I'm… well, I'm sorry. I went to far today."

"Do you wish to break me? Or is it that you truly think to protect me with these commands?" Harry inquired with a face that looked so lost and confused.

"Protect. Only to protect. I am used to dealing with soldiers and servants, Merlin. When it comes to you, to my child heir, I'm out of my depths."

"I see, but I never asked you to be my father."

"Indeed. I know. Yet that begs the question of how I should look at you and treat you." Arthur sighed and joined the boy at the window to gaze at the last dying rays of sun. "You were right to stand up for yourself... Do you remember the storm you played in on the eve of our meeting?

"Yes." Harry was following this conversation with the utmost care, much like a cornered animal tracks a predator's approach.

"Life is like that storm, my little bird. You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a King is what you do when that storm comes. You must look into that storm and shout as you did at me before: Do your worst, for I will do mine! Then the world will know you as I know you. Merlin, Heir of Albion."

Harry looked at him for a long moment before softly replying, "I once read a book that claimed, 'In this life, we are either kings or pawns, emperors or fools.'"

 _****Back to the Present****_

The rest of the train ride, carriage ride, and welcoming feast proceeded without incident. The dreamy eyed Luna Lovegood had been quickly sorted into Ravenclaw. After greeting her fellow eagles she had been just as quickly disregarded. Her year mates went as far as turning their backs on her to cut off any further conversation. Harry watched this quietly from a bit further down the table.

'Chaos, would you mind keeping an eye on that Luna girl we met at Kings Cross? Maybe give her some company for a few days.' Harry silently asked the little hummingbird that was tucked in his hair once again.

'As you wish!' With that the tiny dragon flicked away to buzz around the little girl's head much to the interest of the other new students who immediately tried to coax Chaos away from the odd girl. Luna simply looked as the bird curiously then turned to stare questioning at Harry who just shrugged and went back to eating.

At the end of the feast Professor Flitwick, Head of Ravenclaw house, had pulled Harry aside with a summons to the headmaster's office. So here he was, meeting the Headmaster of Hogwarts face-to-face for the first time.

"Harry, my dear boy. It's good to see you're in good health. You had us quite worried about you this summer. Lemon Drop?"

"Headmaster… No thank you. What do you mean I had you worried?" Harry was legitimately confused. It wasn't like he'd ever seen the Headmaster apart from mealtimes. He'd never even spoken to the old man before.

Headmaster Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling merrily as he replied. "Your relatives were extremely upset when they went to pick you up at Kings Cross Station and you weren't there. Naturally, I and your professors were alerted and we have been searching for you since then." The old wizard let the twinkle in his eyes fade a little before letting a disappointed look settle on his face. "I had hoped that you would behave yourself in a more responsible way than to run away from home, Harry my boy. Many dangerous obstacles await you outside the protections of Hogwarts and your home. As the Boy-Who-Lived, there are many who would wish you dead."

"Even after this long? You really think I'm in danger? Why would a muggle house be safe then?" Harry tilted his head in curiousity.

"Oh yes, you are in very grave danger, I'm afraid." Dumbledore peered over the tops of his glasses at Harry with a very serious look. "When you were a baby, I erected blood wards at your aunt's house in order to keep you safe. They require you to be present in your home for at least two to three weeks to fully charge them for the rest of the year. If they fall then your family would be in danger of being found and killed by Voldemort's loyal followers in revenge."

"Oh, so I should probably write them and tell them to move."

"Why would you do that, my boy?"

"Well, it's been over a year since I left that place. The wards have fallen, so I should probably warn them of the danger, right?" Harry asked reasonably.

"Ah." Dumbledore stared at his student silently for a full minute before his twinkle finally returned to his eyes. "Yes, that would probably be a wise decision. If you don't mind sharing, where were you this summer, my boy?"

"I stayed with a distant relative."

"How.." The headmaster was clearly shocked, though it only showed for a moment.

"How did I escape? With difficulty. How did I plan that moment? With pleasure." Harry eyed the Headmaster speculatively while he felt the ring on his thumb start to heat up. He glanced down to watch the Mind Ring change gem colors from clear to green.

'Compulsion charm. Ember remind me to use the Mind-Clearing Chrystal when we return to the dorms.'

"I see. Well I really must insist, as your magical guardian, that next year you return immediately to your aunt and uncle. That is, after all, where you will be the safest while outside of Hogwarts." The headmaster leaned back in his chair looking quite satisfied. "Well, I'm sure you wish to settle yourself back into the dorms. Have a good night, my boy."

Harry just blinked at him before rising to his feet and walking out the door. 'So now we know for sure that he's one of the culprits behind all those mind charms last year. It's bloody annoying that we'll have to stay at the Dursley's next summer. I wonder why it's still safe for me there when the wards have already fallen… Oh well, I'm sure there is some good reason.'

'Hm… Let's think more about that after the crystal. Ok?' EmberLight sounded slightly annoyed, probably because she didn't want to return to his relatives house either. Harry gave a hum of agreement then scampered back to the Ravenclaw tower in a close race to beat the curfew. Half an hour later, a much clearer minded Harry was having an internal rant about old men trying to pass their senile logic onto innocent bystanders. His mother was truly the most brilliant witch ever. The-Boy-Who-Lived had avoided the Dumbledore's move to control him by the skin of his teeth.

As Harry relaxed back on his pillow with the bed curtains drawn closed, he held up the little gift Ethan Bond, the magi-carpenter, had given to him when he had dropped by with Neville. He had said that if Harry needed an excuse to accept it then to think of it as a 'thank you' for the recommendation he'd given Neville last year on purchasing a trunk and bag combo similar to the one he had designed with Ethan. When he opened it, he found a king chess piece that would switch randomly between the traditional muggle style 'king' to a wizard's 'king' which upon closer inspection turned out to be a detailed rendition of Harry himself with a sword and crown. Apparently, if the note in the bottom of the box was to be believed, Ethan would be giving him more pieces over the next few years if fate allowed it. Harry wondered if the man knew that this was the first toy he could even remember being gifted. He'd definitely treasure it.

Right now, he was the king of the moment. No matter what may come tomorrow, tonight he was safe, free, and happy with all of his companions nearby.

'Kings to me, Headmaster.'


	9. Ch 8: Never is Forever

Sorry for the long wait! Thank you for all the feedback. I do take it into account and appreciate it! Side note, if you have trouble 'hearing' Lady Longbottom, then I would suggest substituting Lady Catherine De Bourgh's voice from the nine hour version of Pride & Prejudice.

I don't own Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie.

"Conversations"

'Internal Monologues'

~Dragontongue~

sssParseltonguesss

[Action]

Chapter 8: Never is Forever

Lockhart was an idiot. He was the blonde incarnation of Captain Hook: forever destined to play dangerous games as the nemesis of a boy-child, never to step into the realms of adult combat. He was an overgrown fish in a kiddie pool. Unfortunately for Harry, Lockhart had chosen him to fill the role of Peter Pan. Apparently DADA this year was actually short for 'Dunderheads Attempting Dramatic Acting.' Every class period Harry would have to valiantly fill some random villain's character from the professor's many works of fiction. He and Lockhart would (badly) perform the tale of the day in front of the class. Outside of class the vain professor would often seek Harry out at the most inconvenient times. Continuous offers to help Harry learn how to appropriately handle his fame were accompanied with clingy hands trying to drag him to Lockhart's office to help the man autograph pictures of himself for hours on end. After experiencing that once, Harry vowed to never get trapped into autograph signing ever again.

Meanwhile, Chaos had developed a close bond with the Luna girl. The little hummingbird would often be seen flitting around the girl while she walked down the halls or ate her meals. Harry had started guiding her to sit next to him at the Ravenclaw meals. Their odd conversations were both amusing and insightful. He found himself feeling distinctly protective of her, much as he had of Neville right at the beginning of their friendship. This over-protectiveness quickly manifested itself the first day the little blonde's shoes went missing along with a few of her school books. Chaos had quickly delivered the alarming news to Harry while he and Neville had been studying in their Getaway Tower. Harry had promptly stormed into the Ravenclaw common room and given the culprits a personal lesson on the Golden Rule and the finer points of the Vanishing spell. When the Head of House came to confront him, Harry had already written up an in depth report of the circumstances, including the little detail that a Ravenclaw Prefect had condoned the actions of the culprits. In the face of further consequences in the form of a week of detentions with Filch the squib caretaker, everyone in Ravenclaw had quickly decided that Looney Lovegood was no longer worth their attention, negative or otherwise (at least for the time being).

Halloween was once again upon the children of Hogwarts. Pumpkins and bats and candies were scattered around the Great Hall. Spiderwebs and ghosts seemed to drift around on unfelt winds. Harry, Neville, and Luna were tucked away in Getaway Tower avoiding the festivities. Harry and Neville took some time to themselves to contemplate their parents that had been taken from them (Harry's on this day and Neville's only a few days later). Luna had decided to join them and spend the time in remembrance of her own mother who had died right in front of the little girl. She noted that it had been a different time of year, but that the Eve of Hallows was meant to be a night to remember the dead that had left them behind. Interestingly enough that thought caused Harry's mind to suddenly snap to memories of Prince Arthur. The prat had been dead for probably around 2,000 years by now. Harry felt a frustrating squeeze around his heart as he contemplated this fact.

Surely the overbearing man had only come to mind because of Harry's current location. Getaway Tower was his chosen suite in Camelot in exchange for being the 'Scapegoat Heir' (complements of the 'choice' Arthur had so graciously allowed him). The tower consisted of three levels. The middle floor was where the small entrance was located and, therefore, was considered the main room. It had a brown leather sofa and some armchairs gathered around a fireplace while a small table with a few chairs stood off to the side. Large bay windows took up most of the walls, creating a very open feel as long as the dark maroon drapes weren't closed. Bookcases lined the rest of the available wall space from floor to ceiling. One floor up was a bathroom and bedroom, and the floor below contained a potion lab and dueling room. In reality, the main room was the only room Harry really used (even when he was back in Arthur's era). He prefered living out of his trunk to moving his things out of its safe and efficient confines. One never knew when a quick getaway [har har] would be needed with no time to pack.

'As if I'd ever miss the arrogant, demanding, over-muscled Clotpole! Definitely not. There's no way I'll ever return and **willingly** bow down to those pretentious royal pricks.' [derisive snort]

 _****Flashback to Harry Meeting Uther****_

King Uther sat upon his throne surrounded by his large dragon familiar. The crown, in Harry's opinion, looked quite heavy upon his head.

'I wonder if he gets headaches often from wearing that…'

'Whatever you do, don't ask him that.' Advised EmberLight as she watched the King's grim face.

'Should I make it lighter? Maybe it'll make him feel less tense?' Norstra offered helpfully.

'I don't think he'd appreciate it. I don't think we should make ourselves anymore noticeable than we already are.' Atlas noted.

Harry gave a snort. As if they could possibly go unnoticed! 'I think my having two dragons flanking me as familiars and standing next to my so called father is enough to obliterate any chance of our sneaking out of here… Ever.'

"As you can see, father, Lady Magic has blessed this child and anointed him my heir. Her gifts can not be denied even if he is a bastard child. Already three dragons have chosen to be his familiar and have fully bonded to him."

"Three?" The King sniffed his disapproval. "I only see two. Is there something more you're not revealing? Choose your words carefully, Arthur. It would be unheard of to have a commoner upon the throne of Camelot. That this imposter has somehow deceived you into thinking he has truly bonded to our Royal line of dragons among other breeds is treason. This impudent child dares to cast magic which is for the sole use of nobility by royal decree and is punishable by death!"

"Wait, father! Ask the dragons themselves and you will see this is not a lie or conspiracy. The third dragon hatchling is wrapped around his neck. He is too young to keep up." Arthur looked supremely frustrated. Uther had returned from his visits to a neighboring kingdom the day before and was not happy (to say the least) to hear Arthur's news upon their reunion.

"Come closer, boy. This is the only warning you will get. If I find this so-called full bond is anything less than you claim, at dawn you will be burned at the stake. Am I understood?" The King looked down his nose at Harry menacingly.

"Yes, King Uther." Harry refused to call this despicable man **his** King, Lord, or any other sort of authority figure. The laws he had passed were atrociously barbaric.

~His name is Merlin, father, not boy.~ The prince visibly withheld a sigh and motioned Harry to move to the base of the dais that held the throne. "Kneel and speak Merlin. Allow your King to reassure himself that the bond is true."

Harry gritted his teeth to the point that the other occupants of the room could hear it. This was an unavoidable moment that he would hate with every fiber of his being for the rest of his life. Slowly he dropped to his knees. His head remained stayed defiantly unbent.

~I am Merlin, youngest Dragon Lord and Heir of Prince Arthur of Camelot.~

~You are no one's heir unless I allow it. No bastard son of a common whore will ever take the throne of Camelot. I spent my life weeding out the unworthy and will not see one soil my own line. I'll have you beheaded and your mother torn asunder.~ Uther's face reflected his self-righteous contempt clearly.

~You dare defy Lady Magic? You dare to presume to break a bond that she has blessed?~ EmberLight snarled and spread her wings threateningly.

~Back down, young one! The King Dragon Lord is your rightful ruler and you **will** show him respect! Bow your head!~ The kings dragon roared at the smaller royal dragon.

~Never.~ She spat back coldly. ~You may be older and stronger, but I am more powerful thanks to the **full** bond I share with my Little Lord. My neck bows to none but my chosen one.~

Harry hadn't moved from the moment his mother had been called a whore. His rage against the insult the woman who had loved him enough to die for him was endless. Uther had just made a very resourceful enemy who would do everything in his power to turn Arthur away from his father's will.

~EmberLight and Chaos chose our Little Lord from within the egg. He has called our names as we pushed ourselves free of our birthing confines. You have no right to even dream of interfering with our bonded.~ Atlas snapped his teeth. ~You who were convinced to slave for the present King Dragon Lord ought to understand the difference between a forced bond and full bond.~

The larger dragon jerked back as if he'd been struck.

~Silence.~ Uther practically hissed the command. ~I will not tolerate this disrespect.~

~Yet, it is truth, father.~ Arthur quickly stepped closer to try to defuse the situation. ~By law, it is a treason against Camelot and the Pendragon Line for any fully bonded Dragon Lord to be forcefully separated from the dragon. It is punishable by death. To strike down a Dragon Lord for any cause other than a serious infraction of the law is punishable by death. It is not against the law to be the bastard son of a common magical woman. I'm afraid there is nothing we can do. On the positive side, this does give us a scapegoat for Morgana's curse.~

King Uther sat back against the throne and contemplated his son's words carefully before giving a nasty looking smirk. ~Explain your plan, my son. You are right, this could very well be a solution to multiple issues all at once.~

 _****Back to the Present****_

"Sire?" Harry startled back to reality. Neville was crouched down before Harry's chair and was looking up at him with a concerned expression.

"Sire, if it makes you feel any better, he is missing you as well." Luna commented from where she was doing some sort of spinning dance in the moonlight that was streaming through the windows of the designated main room of Getaway Tower.

"Who is, Luna?" Harry watched as she did one last twirl and an elegantly deep bow towards her namesake.

"King Arthur will forever and always miss his Merlin during his migrations." When Luna turned towards the boys her eyes were glowing a vivid clear blue against the darkness of the moonlit room. "Their lives are intertwined across time and fate. They will prove themselves to the Ancients and become their Keepers. The loop has begun to draw to its close. The journey comes to an end as it begins." Her eyes slowly returned to their normal dreamy blue and she turned towards the door. "It's time to be heading back to our dorms. A blibbering humdinger told me this year's trial is about to start." With that, she walked out the door.

Harry and Neville could only stare after her in shock. "I'm a bit worried by that statement. I'm not going to lie." Harry said as he took a step towards following the odd girl.

"Yeah." Neville sighed as he gathered up his bag. "I suppose we'll find out what she meant soon enough."

Well, said trial was indeed starting. As the three children quietly made their way down the Grand Staircase to get back to the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor towers, they heard a loud ruckus occurring somewhere further down. With their curiosity perked (at least for the two boys as Luna probably already somehow knew what was happening), they continued their descent in order to investigate. Soon a large group of students came into view with a certain blonde in the lead. When Draco noticed Harry's group watching from a slightly higher stairway he eagerly imparted the reason for the disturbance.

"Better beware, Potter! The Heir of Slytherin has returned to finish his work. Dirty-bloods will get what's coming to them." The blonde gave an evil smirk. "For myself, I can't wait till this school is cleaned of the disease of lower beings."

Harry raised an eyebrow at this statement before turning to Neville with a clearly questioning expression.

"If I recall correctly, the Heir of Slytherin opened the Chamber of Secrets for a short time about 50 years ago. It ended with the death of a student. My grandmother only mentioned it once in passing, so that's all I know at the moment."

"I see. And my blood is dirty, according to Draco…' Harry cocked his head to the side as he considered this new situation and information. "If students started popping up dead, wouldn't the school get shut down? I mean, surely a school can't legally stay open when it has a known health hazard or murderer in its halls, right? Even muggles try to make sure their kids are safe while in schools and such. They have laws for it and everything. Surely the great and powerful wizards would do better than those... lesser beings?" Harry mussed. He gave one last curious glance towards where the students were then shook his head and turned back towards the entrance to Ravenclaw tower. "Goodnight, Neville. Let's go Luna."

With that, poor little Draco was left once more to wallow in vexation. Harry simply would not react to taunts the way he was supposed to. It drove the blonde insane! Why did Potter only ever notice him enough to make him feel foolish. He always had the distinct feeling that he'd never be good enough to stand at Harry's side. It was so frustrating! It was then that the young aristocrat came to an important decision. He would make Potter notice and accept him. He would become… not worthy, because he was a Malfoy so clearly he was already worthy… he would become the type of person Harry would allow near himself, but better! Definitely better and more worthy than Looney at least. Neville had, admittedly, turned into a force to be reckoned with, but Draco wouldn't let that stop him. He was in the House of the cunning and ambitious, and he had finally found a goal to strive for other than being the clone of this father.

In the tower of the brave and rash, two other little girls were curled up tight under their covers. They were both hiding from unknown monsters, though for different reasons. Hermione trembled at the thought of another possible life threatening visit to the hospital wing. Her blood status was the new ticket to send her there. On the other hand, Ginny Weasley was hiding for a different reason. She hid because she'd woken up a short while ago in a strange part of the castle with blood and feathers all over her clothes. What child wouldn't freak out after experiencing that? Not to worry, in the morning she would write it all down in her journal and _he_ would set her mind at ease.

A few weeks later, Lockhart opened a dueling club. It was during a duel between Harry and Draco that _it_ happened. The other shoe dropped. The school turned on Harry with extreme prejudice. You see, Harry had called a snake off from attacking another student...in parseltongue. It all clicked neatly into place. Harry hadn't been there for the Halloween feast. Harry only allowed pureblood children to be close to him. Harry spoke the language of the snakes. Harry was the Heir of Slytherin. No doubt about it. He was the next Dark Lord. (And wasn't that just a fascinating discovery? Harry had never realized how apathy was a clear indicator of a mass murderer. Also, who knew that Voldemort also could speak to snakes? Harry certainly hadn't until Luna had filled him in after a very confusing bout of accusations by one Ron Weasley.) The school turned on the young boy with a vengeance. It only escalated as students were found petrified over the next month. Harry's survivalist side kicked into overdrive and he started moving through the hallways under his invisibility cloak. He was only ever seen regularly at classes and occasionally at mealtime, and he slept in his trunk in Getaway Tower.

Despite all odds, Neville & Luna (and Toil & Trouble whenever they could find him) refused to back away. They stayed his close friends despite the jinxes and hexes they had to experience in return for their stubborn loyalty. Again and again, Harry was forced to return his Ghost Freak clothing back to the trunk in his mindscape. His friends and familiars refused to allow him to fall into lonesome depression. He was not alone anymore. Finally, on the night before they were to leave for Christmas holidays, Harry confronted the other two children while they were enjoying some quiet in Getaway Tower.

"Why are you still staying with me? Neville, I know you swore yourself to me, but Luna… why? You could have died this morning! That tripping jinx on the stairway. I saw it! In fact, you're lucky I did and knew the counter. You shouldn't be here." Harry gave his hair a tug as he turned towards the fire.

Luna just gave a calm smile before giving her reply. "Don't worry, Sire. You will trust me in time." Harry sighed and stared moodily into the flames in front of him. "I will always and forever be loyal to you. I will never betray you. I am yours and you are mine. My sight and my magic are yours to command. I am your Seer of Ravenclaw's Blood Oath and the Dragon Rider of Chaos. You will allow me to reveal truths to you."

The young Dragon Lord whipped around. Too late, he noticed her kneeled position on the floor. Too late, he saw her deep ocean blue magic reach out to be accepted by his own green and gold. Too late, he realized he had claimed yet another of his court of Dragon Riders. Too late he realized he already couldn't let her go… couldn't let either of them go. All he could do was pull them to himself in the first hug he had ever initiated on his own.

"Never is an awfully long time, Luna." Wendy's description of 'never' was all that Harry could come up with in that moment to try to impress on the seer the magnitude of her oath.

"It is, Harry. It's forever."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Harry made a soft choking sound as he fought to pull himself together. His magic whirled around the room making the drapes flap and the fire flare.

"For what, sire?" Neville asked softly.

"You deserve better. I can't… I can't protect you. I don't know what to do. I've always known they would turn on me. Everyone has always turned on me, hated me. I learned to not care. It was only to be expected that a people who so easily believed so many good lies about me would also believe all the bad lies as well, so I could handle that. What I can't handle watching is either of you be hurt because of me. You're being bullied because you're staying by my side. I just don't know what to do." Harry's grip on them tightened as if he could somehow keep the world away from them if he just held them a bit closer.

"You need do nothing more than what you already are doing, Sire." Luna spoke softly into his ear. "Just being at your side alone is worth it. You see us. Not just who we are presently or what others see, but the true essences of our characters. For you, we become stronger, unbreakable. To accomplish this, we must also be put through fire along with you. After all, that is the only way iron can be made into steel."

"This is true. Harry, Sire, there is no where else I'd rather be. At your side till the end." Neville added. "Now, I have to go finish packing. Are you ready Harry? Grandmother has written me three times in the last two weeks to finalize her holiday plans which are centered in a large part around you." Harry had signed up to go home this holiday citing the need to leave behind the constant suspicion for a while and an oddly strong desire to see his relatives after not seeing them during the summer. The Headmaster, who had stopped him in the hallway to enquire about his holiday plans, had twinkled his eyes in pleasure at hearing this explanation and continued on the way to dinner.

"Yes, I'm always ready to leave… I _do_ wear my 'home' around my neck you know." Harry gave them a wink as they all stepped back from each other and he pulled his charm necklace into view.

"True." Neville gave a laugh. Harry always kept his trunk charm on him. Apparently he didn't trust his belongings to be left alone at any time (despite the extreme securities the trunk came with) even before the whole Heir of Slytherin fiasco started. Not for the first time, Neville wondered what exactly those muggle relatives had done to his King. With a wave and one last quick glance around the room for any wayward belongings, the boy hurried back to the Gryffindor tower.

Luna lingered hesitantly by her King's side for a few moments before eventually reaching into her bag to retrieve an old, black leather book. She contemplated the cover for a moment more before offering it to Harry. He recognized it immediately as he had Chaos keep an eye on it whenever possible while the dragon stayed with his little Seer. It was the book Lord Malfoy had slipped into Ginny's books in Diagon Alley. Unfortunately, Luna and Ginny only shared a few classes so the dragon couldn't report much about the book that 'felt like a small piece of Harry.'

'That brings me to wonder…' Harry pondered as he accepted the book.

"Luna… You are a seer. Does that mean you know what Chaos really is?"

"Mhm. Of course, sire."

"I see. Any questions? Concerns?"

"Nope." She popped the 'p' as she gathered up the last of her things in preparation for her own vacation.

"And you have this book because…? As far as I had heard, Ginny never let it out of her sight."

"Yesterday _he_ scared her enough to throw it away in the girls toilet on the second floor. I retrieved it for you." Luna gazed dreamily out the window. "I will warn you though, be cautious as to what you do with it. I wasn't even sure that I should give it to you, but a blibbering humdinger insisted it was necessary… important, you know? Many trials come with that book. _He_ is yours and yet not yours at the same time. Your fates have been intertwined for millennia by blood and for decades by soul. Which will be stronger is yet to be seen." Her face was now reflecting her concern.

"I hear you. Though I'm not sure I understand you, yet." Harry admitted. "I'll be careful."

"Fair enough. That all I can ask for. Good night, Sire."

"Night Luna." Harry, EmberLight, and Norstra all were staring at the book in his hand curiously.

'Mine but not mine huh? What a conundrum.'

 _****Platform 9 3/4****_

"Grandmother, it's good to see you." Neville stepped closer to the austere woman standing before them and gave her a quick kiss on her cheek. Apparently the relationship between the two had gone from almost nonexistent to some what amiable after Neville's letter last year. "This is my greatest friend and brother in all that matters, Harry Potter, Heir of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter. Harry, this is my Grandmother and guardian, Lady Longbottom."

"Welcome home, grandson. A pleasure to meet you at last, Heir Potter." The lady tilted her head towards the black haired boy who was staring at the top of her head in utter fascination.

"The term 'Guardian' seems slightly ambitious.. Greetings, my lady. That's quite the hat. I do sincerely hope that vulture is not how you view yourself." Harry tilted his head to the side questioningly.

"Upon my word, you give your opinion much too freely for such a young child." Lady Longbottom raised an eyebrow at the boy before her in consideration. "I am at a loss as to why you question the title Guardian. Though, as to your comment on my hat, I was informed that muggles quite enjoyed wearing headwear with birds and flower arrangements. Having grown up in the muggle world, I would have assumed you were used to such fashions?" The hat in question had a fully grown, stuffed vulture perched decorously on the crown.

"Your informer was either grossly behind the times or playing a trick on you, my lady. Though, I do find the bird to be brilliant. I'm not going to lie, it somewhat terrifies me but also demands my full attention on your person. Neville has told me much about you. I look forward to this holiday visit and am grateful that you were willing to welcome me to Longbottom Manor."

The old woman and the young child gave each other one last appraising look then smirked at each other in approval. Neville stood to the side and enjoyed the very blunt, Gryffindor powerplays the two had immediately locked into. They were cut from similar cloth and would prove to be worthy opponents in future conversations. This holiday would be interesting indeed.

 _****Christmas Break****_

Over the summer Harry had remembered the Goblin blood test showing his affinity for death and soul magic via the Peverell line. After that, he (with the help of Atlas of course) had started combing the Peverell Family Grimoire for anything that might help with the removal of the parasitic soul shard that was starting to dangerously press against his magical core. In the end, they had found an ancient ritual that would move a piece of soul from one container to the other. There was a slight chance that the current vessel would be damaged during the process, but Harry and Atlas had come to the conclusion that the foreign magic that was containing the shard was most likely considered the 'vessel' more that Harry himself. Perhaps it was a bit optimistic to go with that assumption, but time was starting to to be an issue and risks were always a part of any sort of death or soul magic it seemed.

Seeing as Harry had been out of the present era during the summer, Christmas break was an extremely busy time for him. When he had returned to the present time, he found he only had two days left until Hogwarts started classes again. After careful consideration and an appointment with the goblins to verify they had the ability to provide what he needed, he had decided to attempt the removal of the parasitic soul shard during Christmas break. In the end, Harry reserved a ritual room at Gringotts for the appointed time and special ordered the Goblin made artifact he needed for a secure container to transfer the shard to. He definitely didn't want the shard to get loose and go zooming around on its own.

So it was, with the appointment drawing near, Neville and Harry were wandering down Diagon Alley looking for the perfect Christmas presents before Harry would go to the bank to do the ritual. Neville would return to retrieve Harry once the ritual was complete. Then the two of them would meet back up with his grandmother (who was having tea with some other Ladies at the moment and had no idea what the appointment was for) so as to return Longbottom Manor. The ritual would probably deplete his king's magical core to a dangerously low level for the next few days, but after that his core would be able to expand freely without binds or parasites to hamper it.

"I want to get Luna a bag and trunk comb like you have, Neville. Four compartments with the first three being like mine with the linked bag. What do you think the fourth compartment should be though? I have a Home or Living Space and you have a Greenhouse. She needs a secure way to keep track of her belongings. Those girls started stealing and hiding her things again after all this 'Heir' stuff started." Harry was swiftly guiding Neville towards _Bag'em & Box'em_ while trying to keep his face covered. Not only was it cold, but he also didn't want to deal with classmates making a ruckus if they saw him.

"That's a brilliant idea. Perhaps I'll get her the Goblin Mind and Potion rings then… They're expensive but definitely worth it. They've already saved me from several incidents this year. No, Harry, you don't need to worry about it. That's why you had me buy them in the first place, so I would be safe." Neville gave Harry a good natured nudge with his shoulder as they entered the magi-carpenter's store. "As for the compartment, she likes the outdoors and creatures… and sitting around the fire with her friends…"

"Hi Ethan! How's business?" Harry gave one of his rare smiles that revealed how much he enjoyed being around the person he was approaching.

"Very well indeed! How is my favorite customer?" The magi-carpenter came over to them with long lazy strides.

"Happy to be here." Harry took a deep breath, enjoying the scent of fresh wood and stain and leather mixed together. "Hey, have you ever met the Lovegoods?"

"Can't say as I have really. I have seen them a few times around the Alley, but never really had occasion to speak to them."

"Hm. Well I want to buy the daughter, Luna, a Linked Bag & Trunk Combo… kinda like Neville here ordered last year."

"Ah! Yes, that was an interesting challenge you sent me young man." Ethan turned towards Neville. "It's good to meet you in person. Yes, interesting challenge indeed. Getting the right wards to create a usable greenhouse with both a dark section for that devil's snare and a light section for the rest was quite tricky. Had to enlist a friend in the end to get it right. Quite the enjoyable building experience, I must say."

Both boys grinned at the man's enthusiasm. "This time, the fourth compartment needs to be a large space with not too many obstacles. Though, a small sofa at one end would be nice, I think. She travels with her father to look for odd creatures quite often… Maybe make the sofa a daybed like mine instead. You know what, let's make the setup exactly like my 'Home Compartment' links, warding, and all, but in the main room, make the floor look and feel like grass and the walls look like a forest overlooking the ocean. Maybe the ceiling could be like the Great Hall at Hogwarts?"

"I could do that. How about we make the fireplace look more like an outdoor fire pit instead? I could build the bookshelves so they overlay the trunks of the trees in the forest so they don't look out of place. The desk, daybed, wardrobe, and treasure trunk can be made out of dark stained lodgepole. And the archway to the kitchen/wash area could look like a cave entrance…"

Harry stared at the magi-carpenter in awe. "It's sounds perfect, absolutely perfect. Can it be done in three days again?"

Ethan just raised an eyebrow at him. "Of course it can! Just what do you take me for!?" He let out a hearty laugh. "Bag and trunk color? Security measures?"

"All the security measures I had. Have the trunk be dark blue wherever mine was black and the bag should be… What do you think Neville? Yellow? She seems to like that color a lot…"

"I think she'd love yellow, but that will show dirt easily… I just don't want _those_ people to be able to mess it up easily. It won't rip or anything, but nothing will stop it from being dirtied."

"True." Harry furrowed his eyebrows in concentration.

"Easy fix. I'll add a strong self-cleaning charm. I can add it to the bags you boys have too if you want."

"Let's do that. Do we just leave them here with you and pick them up later when I pick up Luna's set?" Harry pulled his bag off his charm necklace and let it resize to its normal dimensions.

"That'll work or you could pick them up sooner if you want."

"Nah, I'm fine with waiting and getting everything all at once." Neville passed his dark red bag over as well.

"We've got to run now. Got an appointment to get to. It was great seeing you Ethan!" Harry glanced at the clock on the wall before turning to sprint towards the door with Neville hot on his heels.

"Yeah, it was great meeting you in person. Have a good day, sir."

"You boys have a great holiday! I'll be seeing you in three days! Don't forget!"

 _****Gringotts Bank****_

Neville went to meet with his account manager to go over some family matters and order the Goblin made charm necklace and keychain (he decided to go with that after Harry ordered the trunk… having it be able to shrink into a charm would be meaningless without a secure charm necklace to hang it from). The rings would have to wait. They were just too expensive for his available budget at the moment. Perhaps he could find an extra charm or two that she would like to add to the necklace? She did seem to enjoy accessorizing, what with the radish earrings and bottlecap necklace she always wore. There was a little shop near _Bag'em & Box'em_ that sold odds and ends like that.

'What was the name of that place again?' [hmmmmm] ' _Oddly In_! That's what it was called! Perhaps I could see if Madam Malkin's has a nice new intimidating hat for grandmother.' Neville gave a little chuckle as the memory of Harry's fascination with the dead bird perched on the old lady's head when she had picked the boys up at Platform 9 3/4. 'Yes, that should do nicely, but what to get Harry…'

In the meantime, Harry was preparing an intricate ritual (apparently the Peverell's were not as concise as Pendragon's… granted the Time Witnessing Spell had been a gift from an Ancient One... Then again, it probably wasn't that complicated. This was his first ritual and he was only 12 years old so it seemed pretty intricate to him.) EmberLight, Atlas, & Norstra were sitting by the door overseeing his last few steps before they would wait just outside the door and stand guard.

~Ok. This is going to work. Nothing to worry about.~ Harry took a deep breath to calm his nerves. ~Right?~

~Just speak clearly and keep focused. We've gone over this many many times. There is nothing to worry about.~ Atlas assured him.

"Alright. Everyone Out. If I don't show my face in an hour, check on me." Harry gave a nervous sounding laugh. 'Maybe you shouldn't come in though. If I don't get the fragment anchored properly it might escape if you open the door. But if I pass out after the ritual I won't be able to let you in.'

'Breathe, Little Lord. Remember, we are with you always in your mind. For now, we'll be staying in the trees outside so as to not distract you. In an hour we will come to you in the cottage and check that all is well before entering the ritual room.' EmberLight nuzzled his cheek before slipping back into the kitten form and squeezing out the door with the other two following her lead.

Harry gazed down at the circle before him. A five point star was drawn within it with all the points intersecting the circle. There was a line straight down from the top point of the star to the bottom of the circle, and one more line connected the bottom two points of the star. Each point that intersected with the circle represented a state of mind that the caster must be feeling in order to achieve the intent necessary to cast a certain spell to effect a soul or piece of soul in a specific way. The points each had a stone carved with the rune signifying and powered by the individual state of mind. The last point of intersection which was towards the middle of the design represented the state of mind needed to move a soul to a different 'effect'. Any waver in concentration during rituals with soul magic could result in the permanent damage or loss of the soul or piece of soul being manipulated. The lines would help the caster focus on where he or she wished to guide the soul or piece of soul.

The room itself was sealed with leaded walls and soul containment runes to prevent the escape should the fragment Harry was trying to remove from his scar and magical core get free. The reason for this precaution was that 'loss' did not necessarily mean the soul died, just that it was permanently beyond the reach of the caster, becoming a wraith or dementor. Wraiths are pieces of soul that are lost during the magic and lose their bodies or vessels in the process. They spend the rest of eternity possessing other beings trying to regain what was lost. Dementors are the bodies of people whose soul was being manipulated when a loss of control on the magic occurred. They spend the rest of eternity devouring other souls trying to fill their the missing pieces. Allowing either a newly made wraith or dementor to roam free was unacceptable.

'To die would be an awfully big adventure.' [sigh] The powerful little boy glanced down at the paper in his hand for one last review.

* * *

 **Hate** is needed to cast _Avada Kedavra_ _Anima_ to stop the soul.

 **Satisfaction** is neededto cast _Scindo Anima_ to break the soul.

 **Love** is needed to cast _Abracadabra Anima_ to start the soul.

 **Remorse** is needed to cast _Sarcio Anima_ to mend the soul.

 **Indifference** is needed to cast _Obstringo Anima_ to bind the soul.

 **Sympathy** is needed to cast _Libero Anima_ to free the soul.

 **Forbearance** is needed to cast _Sustentatio Anima_ to move the soul.

*Place the goblin made artifact (new soul vessel) on the runestone for Indifference.

*Stand within the circle.

*Face the Sympathy runestone. Reach out to and feel the pain of the soul fragment currently contained in the magic pressing on my magical core (first focus on the scar and then follow the magical residue inwards). Remember, the piece was ripped apart from the main soul. It is probably hurting, scared, and in pain even now. Free the soul fragment by casting _Libero Anima_.

*Once it is free, stop sympathizing with the fragment and cast _Sustentatio Anima_ immediately. Clear your mind of anything but patience and tolerance. Do not let the fragment's fight for freedom or control shake your focus. Move it towards the Forbearance point of intersection. Then take the intersecting line up to the runestone of Indifference.

*Once the fragment has reached the runestone of Indifference, guide it to the goblin made artifact and focus on removing all emotion and feeling from your mind. Cast _Obstringo Anima_ to bind the fragment to its new vessel.

* * *

It was time. He started casting.

To say the experience was painful would be the understatement of the century. After casting _Libero Anima_ , a black goo and blood had started to ooze out of his scar and his temples started throbbing in an instant nauseating migraine headache. A dark grey mist howled it's pain and reluctance to leave its safe and peaceful cocoon of Love Magic (complements of his mother, Lily) from where it had appeared and hovered over the corresponding runestone. As the last of the goo exited his scar, a pressure suddenly lifted from both Harry's magical core and his forehead. The signal for the next step in the ritual was undeniable and actually a bit surprising as the little dragonlord had lived with the pressure so long he had stopped noticing it.

Harry quickly switched his casting to start channeling _Sustentatio Anima_. His wand was pointed directly at the wraith which started to move slowly down the necessary ritual lines at his insistent guidance. Even though the pressure in his head had lifted, the migraine was still very much there. Therefore, Harry had to use all of his willpower, despite his naturally strong affinity to death and soul magic, in order to move the soul fragment to its final destination. It took half an hour to get the wraith to the point of hovering over the open, lead-lined goblin made metal snuff box.

The box was round and about the size of the palm of Harry's hand with the same soul containment runes that were on the ritual room etched along the outer rim. At this point, he was almost drained completely of energy. With the very last dredges of both his will power and magic, he stopped channeling the spell and cast _Obstringo Anima_ immediately. The spell power was enhanced by the free floating love magic that had hovered protectively around Harry during the entire process once its charge had been released. The tiny goblin made snake artifact that sat curled in the box twisted up to snap its jaws at the mist which promptly condensed to latch onto the figurine that was binding it.

sssWhy?sss The little snake seemed to be looking at Harry pleadingly, searching for the sympathy he had felt just a little while ago. The boy refused it any further thought, emotion, or answer.

~Lily's battle is finally over.~ The lid closed and locked with a click as the dragontongue passwords left the little lord's mouth. One last soft sigh and green eyes fell shut as Harry's body slumped to the floor.

'To live will be an awfully big adventure.'


End file.
